


Star Wars: The Great Awakening

by pslavonik



Series: The Great Awakening [1]
Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Legends - All Media Types, Star Wars: Rebels
Genre: Clone Wars, Fusion of Star Wars Legends and Disney Canon, Gen, Pre-Star Wars: The Old Republic, Pre-Star Wars: The Phantom Menace, Rebels, Star Wars References, The Force
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-24
Updated: 2020-09-26
Packaged: 2021-03-08 01:09:03
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 8
Words: 24,578
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26637109
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/pslavonik/pseuds/pslavonik
Summary: Before the Empire.Before the Republic.Before the Sith.Before the Jedi.Before the Force.Journey far back in time to discover the hidden mystery of the galaxy's first Force-user.
Series: The Great Awakening [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1938349





	1. The Beginning

****

**Prologue**

The two lightsabers crackled and spat as they repeatedly clashed together. The luminance of the sabers flashed brilliantly across the walls of the surrounding chamber as the energy blades collided in a flourish of combative strikes.

The younger man held his ground against his older and far more experienced opponent. Despite his best efforts, however, he wasn’t able to _take_ any ground.

Advancing again, the younger fighter’s attack came from above this time but it was quickly and decisively parried away by his opponent. He followed through with an array of slashes but the older figure simply batted them away—almost as if he were toying with him.

The melee was intense and in some ways, personal. It had gone on for several minutes now but as the battle lingered, the younger man could feel his strength begin to wane. Staring into the eyes of the figure in front of him, he saw that the older man’s expressionless demeanor—even partially shrouded by the dark cloak over his head—was both taunting and menacing. Showing no sign of fatigue, his opponent’s face was like that of a stone.

Taking two steps forward, the young man half anticipated his opponent to retreat a similar distance. Instead, the older man made his own advance and came crashing down upon the younger fighter with a flurry of attacks.

Continuing to hold his ground, the young dark-haired man was sweating profusely from his defensive efforts but he was not about to give up. Not this time.

Blow for blow, the younger man held his ground. Using the skills he’d acquired from years of intense lightsaber training, he was simultaneously fighting and analyzing his enemy for vulnerabilities. Even though the older man was vastly more experienced, he was still flesh and blood and, therefore, could be defeated.

As the battle raged on, the younger man was able to parry an attack from the older opponent which gave him the opening he’d been looking for.

He pressed in but just as he was about to deliver what he thought was surely to be a killing blow, the older opponent dodged the incoming blade with a speed and grace the younger man had not seen before. The younger man’s lightsaber sizzled as it sliced through the now empty space of where his opponent had once been.

Drawn off balance by the display, the young fighter had a momentary lapse in concentration which the older figure was keen to capitalize on.

In one swift stroke, the older man struck the blade of his opponent’s lightsaber with such force that the younger man’s grip on his weapon gave way. As the lightsaber extinguished and tumbled across the floor, the younger man, now defenseless, knew he’d been beaten.

With his lightsaber pointed directly towards the neck of his adversary, the older man advanced as the defeated young man soon found his back against the wall. The heat of the saber could be felt on his face as the tip of the weapon was only a mere inch from the young man’s neck. The older man held this pose for a moment as the younger man closed his eyes and turned away.

With a sudden rush of energy, the extended lightsaber became extinguished.

Ben Solo opened his eyes to see a partial grin on the face of Jedi Master Luke Skywalker.

Attaching his lightsaber hilt to his belt, Skywalker looked around the room. Several other students were present in the inner chamber of the new Jedi Temple during the melee, trying to learn what they could from watching the most promising fighter among them go head to head against the only Jedi Master in the galaxy.

They watched intently as Skywalker fixed his gaze upon them.

Luke sighed.

“Can anyone tell me what Ben did wrong?”

It was a pointed and direct question. But then again, Skywalker was a pointed and direct Master, and one who didn’t mince words which needed to be spoken.

One student stood up.

“I felt his concentration break, Master,” said Zakori, a young female Twi’lek with an orange skin tone. “He wasn’t relying on the Force. His emotions took control and he became solely fixated on besting you.”

Skywalker smiled at the comment.

The youngest of a dozen apprentices in Skywalker’s new Jedi Temple, Zakori was considered by Luke to be among the wisest of his apprentices despite her age. Having discovered her only two years ago as an orphan on the streets of Taris, Luke often had to fight the urge to feel like a father figure towards her. Indeed, her brashness and straightforward speaking often reminded him of himself.

He knew someday, Zakori would grow up to be a wise and powerful Jedi.

Turning to look over at Ben Solo, Luke’s smile faded.

“And what do you think of Zakori’s feedback?” asked Luke. “Did you let emotion get the best of you?”

Lowering his head as if in shame, Ben said, “I did, Master.”

Lifting his head, Ben looked Skywalker in the eyes as the latter placed his hands on his sides.

“Your will and determination seemed unbreakable, Master,” said Ben, now visibly frustrated. “How am I to beat an opponent with such ferocity without looking inward?”

“My will and determination _are_ breakable,” replied Luke. “What _isn’t_ breakable is the Force. Although it will partially control your actions, it also obeys your commands. When you commit yourself fully to the Force and make it your ally, you’ll find that all distractions will be cast aside and your focus will be sharp. Your will and determination must be found from _within_ the Force. When you feed off of your own emotions, trust me when I tell you that it can take you down a very dark path. Only when your make yourself an ally of the Force can you become truly unbreakable.”

Leonos, a male Zabrak with fair skin accompanied by brown facial tattoos—the markings of his family lineage from Iridonia—stood to be recognized.

“Master Skywalker, is Solo’s path one which will lead him down the dark side?”

Luke stared directly into the eyes of the largest of his students.

“Ben took the path which you all are taking—that of a student,” replied Luke. “Learning about the Force is a process which takes time. Each and every one of you, including Ben here, will at some point be tempted by the dark side, just as I was. True knowledge and mastery comes from patience and time. You have all only just begun down a long and oftentimes difficult road. Remember, these are your first steps into a larger world.”

Luke turned towards Ben.

“You’re an excellent student, Ben. And you fought well. Always remember to focus on the living Force. Be mindful of its will and direction. If you do, you’ll find that even in the darkest of times, the Force will be there to guide you.”

Turning back towards his students, Luke dropped his hands from his sides.

“That’s it for the day,” said Luke. “Get some rest and be back here at dawn for tomorrow’s lessons.”

Although many of the students departed to head back to their dormitories, Ben stayed behind.

As the distant sun was setting on the planet Miiythos where Luke had established his temple for the new generation of Jedi, the reflections of the golden sky stretched across the reflective stone temple floor. Solo, being drawn into a thought, stepped towards an opening in a nearby archway which led to a balcony outside.

Once there, Solo stopped just shy of the edge of the balcony and breathed in slowly as he closed his eyes and reached out with the Force.

Feeling the mind of his young apprentice from across the room, Skywalker quietly approached. Stopping two meters from Solo, Skywalker also closed his eyes and stretched out his feelings.

He could sense Ben’s struggle. Although his nephew possessed much in the way of raw strength in the Force, it didn’t make learning the intricacies of it any less difficult. If anything, the opposite could be argued.

However, there was something more to Ben’s thoughts. Something far deeper.

He spoke up.

“The Force,” Luke said plainly, partially startling Ben. “It’s bigger than you could have ever imagined, isn’t it.”

Indeed, the young Ben Solo had been pondering this thought for some time now. Even from when he was a mere child, he could remember early conversations with his parents about the Force and how he came about possessing this strange power. From moving small objects as an infant to having lightning fast reflexes as a child while learning to be a pilot from his father, Ben Solo knew he possessed a special—if also frightening—gift.

Even so, it was still something very difficult to wrap ones head around. Ben oftentimes felt like a lone vessel floating in what was often described by him as the infinite Force. He still had so many questions and not enough answers.

“Where did it come from, Master?” asked Ben.

“Where did what come from?” asked Luke. “The Force?”

“Yes,” replied Ben. “When did all of this begin? Is there any record of the first being inhabited by the Force?”

“Well, nothing official,” replied Luke. “Nobody really knows the true origins of the Force. I mean, nothing that’s been verified, at least. In my travels after the fall of the Empire, I came across lots of ancient artifacts and chronicles which, when translated, told some very interesting stories.”

“Is that when you traveled with Lor San Tekka?” asked Ben. His face lit up with wonder at the thought of traveling with the legendary explorer.

Taking a spot on a nearby bench, Luke motioned for Ben to join him.

“Yes, that’s when San Tekka and I were looking for lost artifacts from the old Jedi Order. The Empire had hidden or destroyed several such things around the end of the Clone Wars.”

“What were you able to find?” asked Ben eagerly. “The secrets to the origins of the Force?”

Luke chuckled.

“No, not quite. Mostly a lot of early records which, at first, didn’t make much sense. Once San Tekka and I starting connecting the dots, we were able to take a glimpse back tens of thousands years to what we _think_ is the first documented being to be touched by the Force.”

“Why is this knowledge not open to all?” asked Ben who was now filled with wonder.

“Because a lot of the story is still missing and, like before, can’t be verified as accurate,” replied Luke. “One such chronicle appeared to have been written by someone who claimed to be the first Force-user. But we’re talking ancient stuff here and who knows how much of it was embellished.”

“Well, what were you able to learn, Master?” asked Ben.

“Do you really wanna hear the tale?” asked Luke, surprised by his nephew’s interest. “It’s long and I’d just be filling in some details as I go.”

“If you don’t mind, Master,” said Ben. “I’d love to hear it.”

“So would we,” said a new voice.

Looking over his shoulder, Luke noticed that four of his students - Zakori, Leonas, Tas and Avriean - had stepped out onto the balcony to join Luke and Ben.

“This is…if you don’t mind, Master,” replied Tas, a human male about Ben’s age but smaller in stature with light brown wavy hair.

Luke smiled.

“How could I say _no_ ,” Luke sighed. “Alright. Gather around, everyone.”

As the five students including Ben took a seat around Luke, he began.

“A long time ago somewhere in the galaxy far, far away…”

* * *

****

**Chapter 1: The Beginning**

He often wondered where it all began. The stars, the distant planets and their moons, the great Wyzhlyn trees and the creatures which resided within the protection of their canopy, his people…

_Are we just mere accidents or is there some sort of purpose to our lives?_

Resting upon the large boulder which sat on the edge of the cliff that led down to the Low World, Jolis often let his imagination run wild as he stared up into the bright night sky. Countless stars illuminated the dark void, including the approaching moon which signified that the cold season would soon be here.

For now, however, the evening was warm as he lay across the surface of the rock, staring up into the sky. This was his spot, the same spot he’d been coming to as far back as he could remember. It was just far enough away from the village that Jolis could let his mind wander in peace, but just close enough that, if needed, he could return home quickly.

He focused his eyes on a bright star as it glimmered in the distant sky. Separated by eons of time and space, his mind always seemed to return to the inevitable question.

_Are we alone?_

Exploring the bright star with his eyes, Jolis wondered if there was a kid just like him sitting on a rock just like the one he was sitting on staring up into the night sky and seeing a bright dot that was his world.

_There’s gotta be someone out there._

Ulepi, the village wiseman, used to tell stories of their origins. He would go on about how their people were placed here by the so called _ancient ones_ who then vanished into the stars.

Jolis’ father, Torek, always disagreed with Ulepi, often publicly.

“Old fool,” said Torek on one occasion as a crowd had gathered to hear the latest ramblings of Ulepi, “I’d love for these _ancient ones_ to come back so we can thank them for dropping us on this delightful green rock. Maybe then, they can teach us how to grow wings like they did and fly into the sky.”

The crowd would always laugh with Torek at his comments about Ulepi. It was easy to. Most people thought Ulepi—once revered for his wisdom and knowledge of not only their tribe, but of the dozens of other tribes that dotted the planet’s surface—was nothing more than a crazy old man.

Now, however, he was simply a social castaway.

“His mind has left him,” some would say. “No point in listening to his words anymore.”

But even so, Jolis often found himself wondering if there was any truth to his words. If these _ancient ones_ had indeed placed his people on this planet, could they have placed other beings on similar planets?

His eyes became fixated on a different star as it glistened in the night backdrop. Slowly, he visually examined the red dot in the sky which flashed in shades of blue and green every so often.

_Where did these ancient ones go? How were they able to fly away? And why have they never come back?_

Jolis often wondered if the Krayton—enormous dragon-like winged creatures who were able to fly to the approaching moon once the two planets’ atmospheres briefly crossed paths every year—were indeed the ancient ones Ulepi always mentioned. They were the only creatures he knew of that could actually leave his world and travel to a different one. Jolis knew from experience, however, that the Krayton were about as large as they were dumb. What they lacked in intelligence, they made up for in their size. If the Krayton were in fact the ones who’d started all life, however, it would not be a pleasant tale.

Still, many in the village assumed the people here were simply part of the planet. Throughout the ages, their people—who had once all lived together in a massive city carved out of the Triguilden mountains to the south—began to split into smaller tribes. As time went on, each tribe began forming their own unique identities and cultures.

The Wyzhlyn tribe, known for making their homes within the great trees—which grew even larger the closer one was to the planet’s equator—were the most reclusive of them all. They had dedicated themselves to the ways of old, refusing to have any part in the various technological innovations created by other tribes. Others, such as the Ayoreo tribe, were masters of the hunt. Although all of the tribes shared various shades of darker skin complexions, the Ayoreo could blend into the forest so well that even the technological innovations developed by Jolis’ people—the Opachi tribe—couldn’t detect them.

With the exception of the Maligi tribe—warmongers from the north who combined modern technology with their ancient culture and who routinely raided other tribes during the winter seasons—the various tribes mostly lived in peace with one another. Although they were spread apart by great distances throughout the forest planet of Atophis—as their people called it—there were now only rare occasions when special meetings were called to unite the tribal leaders. As such, each tribe mostly lived in isolated contentment.

The sudden high-pitched scream from a weraryk pierced the silence of the night and echoed through the land.

Jolis shuttered at the sound. It had come from the Low World, a place which was strictly off limits to both Jolis and his people.

Rolling over onto his stomach, Jolis slowly nudged his way closer to the edge of the rock which led to a sheer drop down the cliff to the chasm below.

_Maybe I’ll see something this time._

It was a pointless endeavor as even in daylight, it was impossible to see the bottom. The tree tops—which were nearly even with the edge of the cliff—completely covered the base of the forest floor. Nobody had any idea how far of a drop it was to the bottom as no one—not even the greatest of Opachi hunters—had ever ventured into the the Low World. It was once told that a few of the experienced hunters from the Ayoreo tribe had once attempted to descend to the great depths of the Low World. From what Jolis could remember of the story, the journey ended about as quickly as it began with the hunters never seen or heard from again.

When the sun was highest in the sky, the top of the Low World simply looked like an even but flat green layer where the cliff stopped and the trees began. It looked beautiful at first glance but the stories told about it were anything but.

Horrific screams and terrible cries from nameless creatures often emanated from the Low World. Although no one had ever seen any of the creatures which produced these sounds, that didn’t stop the various tribes from telling their share of stories designed to keep kids—and a few adults— awake at night.

Although Jolis would never dream of venturing into the Low World, he knew that most of the stories were just that. Due to the amount of time he’d spend near the edge of the forest by the cliff which led down to the dark forest, Jolis had heard many of these sounds for himself and knew that there was probably no danger which could reach h…

“What are you doing all the way out here?!”

The sound of his father’s voice startled Jolis so much that he nearly fell off the face of the rock.

“How many times have your mother and I told you to not wander this far off at night?” shouted Torek.

“I’m sorry, Da,” said Jolis. “I wasn’t getting into trouble or anything.”

“Sometimes trouble finds you whether you’re looking for it or not,” his father countered. “Get down from there. Your mother’s worried sick about you.”

As Jolis slid down the giant boulder and back onto the ground, he couldn’t help but feel a little ashamed.

“Da, I’m not a kid anymore. I can look after myself.”

A slight chuckle came from Torek as the two started the walk back to their village.

“I’m sure you can, and you’d be even more capable if you spent more time learning how to live on the land and less time staring off into the stars.”

“I like it out here, Da. It’s quiet and secluded. I think you’d like it too.”

“There are more important things to do than to let ones mind wonder about things like…”

“Like wondering if we’re all alone out there?” asked Jolis.

His father sighed.

“You’re starting to sound like that old fool Ulepi,” said Torek as he shook his head. “Don’t waste your time looking up when there’s work to be done right here in front of you.”

As upset as he was at the scolding, Jolis knew his father was right. The cold season was approaching and there was plenty to be done around the village in preparation.

“I’m sorry, Da,” said Jolis.

“Are you just telling me you’re sorry or do you genuinely mean it?”

“A little bit of both, I think.”

Torek couldn’t help but laugh as he rubbed his hand over his sons shaved head.

“You’re alright, son. Even if half the village thinks you’re mad, you’re alright by me.”

Approaching the gates of their village, the motion powered lumas flickered to life as the sentry on duty rose from his station.

“Who’s out th…Oh, it’s just you, Torek.”

“Yeah, it’s just me and Jolis. Who else would it be? You just saw me a few moments ago.”

“Sorry, Torek. Just a bit jumpy is all,” said the sentry. “The weraryks have been louder than usual tonight.”

“Is that so? You want me to come over there, give you a hug and tell you everything’s gonna be alright?”

The sentry’s tone changed from that of concern to total annoyance.

“Just get inside before I close the gate on you.”

As they passed through the gate, they heard the durasteel door close behind them which meant that everyone was inside for the night. The bright lumas—powered by the latest Opachi innovation which used electrical energy captured by the mid-year lightning storms—powered down as well.

Whispering, Torek said, “What’s the point of having a sentry who messes himself every time he hears the sound of a weraryk? What’s he gonna do when real danger approaches?”

“You mean _if_ , not _when._ Right, Da?” asked Jolis.

Torek only grunted in response.

Jolis had spent his entire childhood wandering the woods around his village. He knew every river, creek, valley, creature and track by name. Although he said he was sorry to his father, he never actually said he wouldn’t go out to his spot again. Even so, Jolis knew that his spot was only half the reason why he continually made the trip out to the forest’s edge. _  
_


	2. Chasing Syqrels

“Jolis! Get up! I’m not gonna tell you again!”

The voice of his mother echoed through the stone walls of their home. Squinting his eyes as they opened, the light of a new day shone through the window near Jolis’ bed.

He hadn’t been able to sleep last night. Not very well, at least. Between the unusual amount of weraryk screams and his mind wandering away with bewilderment at what he was planning to accomplish today, the night had been a sleepless one.

Even as he slid out of bed, Jolis could hear the numerous footsteps coming from outside of his family’s home signifying that the day had already started. The people in his village would be hard at work in preparation for the coming cold.

There was a lot to be done. Between needing sufficient fuel for the various machinery and heavy industrial equipment—which meant mining and extracting the dangerous and oftentimes volatile substance known as Rhydonium—to making sure the stored power supplies were working correctly, to supporting the hunting parties who were tasked with finding enough food to support the entire village along with various other tasks and responsibilities, each person had their work cut out for them. Although there were contingencies in place, having one villager not pull their weight often put things behind schedule.

“Jolis! Up! Now!”

“I’m up! I’m up!” said Jolis as he grabbed a work shirt and headed towards the sound of his mother, Tamryn.

His hand brushed up against the cold stone walls of his house as he walked down the narrow hallway. Jolis could already tell that the air in the house was getting cooler. The cold season would soon be upon them.

The house—which had been there for generations—was designed to withstand both time and weather. Hand-cut from the stone of a nearby mountain using primitive tools, there were numerous homes of similar design all throughout the village. They were among some of the first structures built by their ancestors. Although newer homes and various other buildings had since been designed using different materials including wood and even mined durasteel, families who lived in the stone homes were given initial priority to receive a newer home if they chose to.

Every family declined. Wanting to raise their families in the same homes their entire family lineage had been raised in, having a stone home had since become a seniority status symbol throughout the village.

As he walked into the large room where his mother was waiting, she pointed to a spot on the ground and said one word.

“Stop.”

Jolis knew the drill and did as he was told, coming to a stop at the spot his mother was pointing at.

“You were out near the edge of the forest again last night, weren’t you? Near the Low World? How many times have your father and I told you not to go out there after dark?”

“But Ma, it’s fine. There’s nothing out there and…”

“Nothing out there?” echoed Tamryn. “Are you somehow not hearing those dreadful weraryk screams?”

Jolis sighed. “Ma, nobody’s ever been attacked by one of those things.”

She snorted. “Nobody we _know_ of. And that doesn’t mean you should tempt fate.”

Jolis knew he needed to reason with his mother if he was going to get out of this. He lowered his voice and did his best _little boy_ impression which always seemed to work on her.

“I just like to look up at the stars. You can’t do that during the day and they’re so beautiful at night.”

His mother approached and knelt down in front of him. Intrigued, she lowered her voice and asked, “What do you see out there? There must be something amazing to keep a brilliant mind like yours wanting to go out there every night.”

_If only she knew._

“I’m not brilliant, Ma. Everyone else is just stupid.”

“Watch it!” said Tamryn as she stuck her index finger in his face. “Your father and I don’t like you talking down on people like that. Nothing good comes from it and the people don’t respect it.”

“Yeah but Da does it all the time to Ulepi. Do you tell him the same thing you’re telling me about talking down on others?”

She signed. “Jolis, Ulepi’s crazy. He spouts nonsense. If anything, your father’s just trying to get him to keep his mouth shut.”

“He’s just sharing what he believes,” said Jolis. “What’s so wrong with that? Why should we talk down on someone just because we disagree with them?”

Tamryn—shocked at the sudden wisdom from her young son—was taken back by the comment. “Well look at you. Jolis the Wise.”

She chuckled. Jolis, however, didn’t budge.

“Look, I’ll talk to him about it. You, on the other hand, need to get to work. Eeruk will be waiting for you at the power station and he’s not gonna be happy that you’re running late again.”

Rolling his eyes, Jolis replied, “The only reason he gets mad is because he doesn’t know what he’s doing and he needs me to do all the work.”

“Yes, but he’s still in charge over there and…and what did I just finish telling you about talking down on others?”

Even as the words left her mouth, Jolis ran up and kissed his mom on her cheek.

“I love you, Ma. Good talk.”

Heading into the kitchen and grabbing a large Uzja fruit, Jolis took a bite as he headed out the door.

It was a short walk from his family’s house to the power station. Eating the fruit as he walked, the day’s activities were already going through his mind as he mentally organized them into tasks based on priority. Although there was a lot to do with preparing for the coming cold season, Jolis knew that he had the better end of the deal. Instead of roaming through the jungle hunting for food or working the gardens, he got to work with the latest technology—and in many cases, develop it himself—while also getting the opportunity to pursue a few personal endeavors.

Walking in through the side door of the power station—if only to avoid Eeruk who would undoubtedly be in a bad mood—Jolis was greeted by one of his latest creations as he entered his work space.

Flickering to life as it detected movement, it conducted a brief identity scan and then quickly approached.

“Welcome to work, Master Jolis? How may I be of service today.”

The small prototype droid came to a stop in front of Jolis.

The young boy couldn’t help but smile as he rolled his eyes. “You asked me the wrong…nevermind.”

A small red light within the rotating visual receptor protruding from the solid white rectangular body which rounded at the surface flickered rapidly indicating that it was processing its next response.

“Acknowledged. Neverminding complete.”

Jolis sighed as he asked, “Is he here?”

“Is _who_ here, Master?”

“Eeruk. I’m a little late so I…”

“Yes, he is! I shall fetch him for you!”

The two wheels on each side were connected by continuous bands of tread plates which allowed the small but nimble droid to rotate around quickly.

Before Jolis could stop his enthusiastic droid, it had raced off.

“EERUK!!! MASTER JOLIS REQUIRES YOUR PRESENCE!!!”

Placing his head in his hands as the droid shouted at maximum volume, Jolis sighed. “It looks like I still have a bit more calibration work to do on you,” he said to himself.

Instead of standing around waiting for the inevitable arrival of his superior, Jolis took a seat at his work bench and began his day’s assignments.

Reaching for the first power distribution cell used to power small home furnaces in the cold season, Jolis began running it through the various system checks to ensure its proper functionality. Each one of these hand-sized cells could power a family’s home for months at a time—a vast improvement to the former version which were much larger and only lasted for a few weeks.

Several seasons ago when Jolis had first come on board, he wasn’t expected to do much more than simply maintain the work area by cleaning up after Eeruk. His superior, however, underestimated how quick of a learner Jolis was.

Within months, Jolis had fallen in love with the technological process and had already began offering feedback to Eeruk on how to improve certain devices. Not wanting to be shown up by a young boy who was more or less hired to take out the trash, Eeruk dismissed the advice.

“I don’t need the wisdom of a boy who spends his time chasing little furry syqrels through the jungle. Mind your duties and stay out of my way.”

It came as a surprise then when one day, upon arriving at work, Eeruk noticed a large crowd which had gathered around the power station to see what they referred to as “the latest in power cell distribution technology.”

“Well done, Eeruk!” said Emman, the village Chieftain. “With power cells which can last the entire cold season, you’ve taken a great burden off the peoples plates.”

“I…uh…it was nothing. Sir.”

After the crowd had dispersed, Eeruk entered the power station and was met by Jolis in the hall.

“I’m giving you this one,” said Jolis. “You’re gonna let me stay here as an engineer or I’ll tell the entire village that you were outsmarted by a boy who chases little furry syqrels through the jungle.”

Eeruk begrudgingly agreed.

In the years since, their work relationship had been edgy at best.

Hearings his droid reenter the room, Jolis had his back turned to the entrance and, without turning around, decided to continue working.

“Eeruk, Master Jolis will see you now,” said the droid as it wheeled itself back to its observation point.

The heavy thud from Eeruk’s boots came to a stop at what Jolis guessed was the entrance to his work area.

“That’s cute,” said the deep voice of Eeruk. “You’ve taught your little toy here how to disrespect authority just like you do.”

“It’s programmed to observe its environment and it bases its behavioral patterns on what it perceives to be true,” said Jolis without turning around. “I can’t help it that it thinks I run the show.”

A low grumble came from Eeruk.

“Plus, this little guy’s the wave of the future if you ask me,” said Jolis. “Imagine how different things could be if we incorporated droids into our everyday tasks.”

“Don’t get your hopes up, kid,” said Eeruk. “The people here won’t take too kindly to being bossed around by a trashcan on wheels.”

The droid immediately protested.

“I resent these accusations! YOU are the trashcan on wheels!”

Eeruk could only shake his head. “You see? That’s what I’m talking about! That thing’s gonna end up mouthing off to the wrong person and the next thing you know, it’ll be too late and we’ll be fighting a war against these things.”

“I would love to see you fight against ‘ _a trashcan on wheels,_ ’” said the droid as it played an audio recording of Eeruk’s voice to fill in the final part of its response.

Ignoring the droid’s snappy response, Eeruk continued.

“But hey. Maybe you can program this thing to actually show up to work on time for you. How about that for an idea?”

Before Jolis could offer a rebuttal, the droid intervened once again.

“Technically, _I_ was here before _you_. And _you_ were five minutes late this morning.”

Jolis could only chuckle.

“Yeah, laugh it up kid. One day, I’ll end up kicking you and…whatever you call this thing…out to the curb if you keep showing up whenever you want.”

“It’s name is Version 4.”

“Correct,” said the droid. “I am Version 4. The fourth version of Master Jolis’ creation. And, I might add, the most perfect so far.”

“ _So far_ ,” Eeruk reiterated. “Alright there, Vers…V4. That’s what I’m gonna start calling you. V4.”

The droid’s processor flickered with activity as it updated its memory bank.

“Update complete. I am V4. Hello, V4. How are you, V4? Fine, thank you.”

“Hey, I think it likes it,” said Eeruk sarcastically as he rolled his eyes.

“I _do_ like it,” said the droid. “It’s short and easy to remember, just like Master Jolis!”

“V4 it is then,” said Jolis. “Thank you for your contribution of the day, Eeruk.”

Turning to leave the room, Eeruk sneered. “Just shut up and get your work done. And tell that stupid thing to stop calling you _Master_. You may have all the brains but I still run the show around here, got it?!”

Jolis stopped for a brief moment. He so wanted to fire a comment back to Eeruk but he decided against it. Biting his tongue, he smiled briefly as he returned his focus back to the task in front of him.

If everything went to plan today, there would be no need for such a comment.

Nor would there be any need of Eeruk.


	3. Reaching Out

Several hours and 54 portable power cells later, Jolis was ready to finish out the day. Although he would routinely get so involved with his work that the day would normally slip by quickly, today was not one of those days.

He had tried to bury himself in his work in order to take his mind off his plans for the evening. Although he had brief moments where he was wrapped up in the mundane tasks of checking each portable power cell, his mind would often wander during the brief lulls of when he would finish one power cell and reach for another.

As the hours ticked by, however, Jolis began running through his mental checklist to see what he had accomplished today and what he was still planning to do.

After some time, a brief chime coming from outside could be heard. It was coming from the village center and it was music to Jolis’ ears. Signifying that the workday was complete, Jolis nearly jumped out of his chair.

Looking out the nearby window, he could see that the weather looked good and there was still plenty of daylight left.

Grabbing his pack which contained an assortment of tools, Jolis was about to head out for the evening when he was stopped.

“Will you be needing my company this evening, Master Jolis?” asked V4, an almost pitiful expression to its computer generated voice.

“Actually, yes,” replied Jolis. “I just need to make a few final adjustments and then I think it’ll be ready.”

“Oh, you mean the secret project!” said V4.

“Hush!” said Jolis quietly.

The red light flickered on the droid.

“Acknowledged. Hushing complete.”

Jolis could only shake his head as he headed for the door.

As Jolis exited the building through the side door, V4 followed closely behind but naturally, drew several unwanted stares from fellow villagers. This was normal as most people were simply curious about the little prototype droid which they’d heard so much about. Today, however, Jolis was a bit more tense than usual.

“Maybe I should’ve left you back at the power station,” said Jolis but it was too late to turn around. If anything, people simply assumed that Jolis was off on another one of his odd adventures. He had a reputation throughout the village of being one to keep to himself. Many saw it as a side effect of a brilliant mind. Whatever their thinking, Jolis was perfectly content with being left alone, especially tonight.

As he approached the main gate which led to his freedom for the evening, he spotted Shayla waiting by the exit. One of the few friends Jolis had in the village, she was always curious about what the slightly older boy was getting himself into. She tended to follow him around from time to time but tonight, Jolis needed to be alone.

“Hi Jolis,” said Shayla as she spotted him approaching the gate. “Where are you off to this evening?”

“Just testing out V4’s treads through some rough terrain is all,” said Jolis. “Nothing special.”

“Is that its name?”

Not wanting to waste the opportunity to introduce itself to a new face, V4 chimed in.

“Greeting! I am V4. Who might you be?”

“Oh wow! That’s so incredible, Jolis!”

“Hello, Oh wow!” replied V4. “Very nice to meet you!”

Jolis smirked. “It still needs a bit of fine tuning but so far, it’s doing a much better job than the previous versions.”

Looking at Shayla, he could tell that she was completely mesmerized by the droid.

“It’s kind of hard to believe,” she said as she twirled a braid of her dark hair in her fingers. “I mean, here we are basically talking to a roaming computer and yet there are still people on this planet living in trees.”

Jolis nodded in agreement.

“Well to be fair, we are near a lot more resources to use than just trees,” replied Jolis. “We’re just taking advantage of what we have available to us.”

_I need to lose her. Fast._

“Anyways,” said Jolis, “I should get going. I’ve got a lot of work to do and there’s not much daylight left.”

“Can I come with you?” asked Shayla. “I just wanna watch your droid and see how it does out in the wild.”

“Not this time,” said Jolis as he shook his head. “I’m just gonna be taking notes, making small adjustments, calibrating its sensors, things like that. Like I said, nothing special.”

“I don’t mind! I wanna learn as much as I can! Maybe one day, I can work at the power station with you!”

Jolis knew he was going to have to try harder if he was going to ditch Shayla.

“Tell you what,” said Jolis. “Let me go out there this evening and get everything taken care of. Once V4’s all done, I’ll give you the full rundown on how he works. How about that?”

Pursing her lips together and she tapped her finger against them, she thought deeply about the offer.

“Ohhh, I get it,” she finally replied. “You don’t really want anyone to see it while you’re working on it. That way when you finally give the full demonstration to the village, there won’t be any people saying that it won’t work correctly because someone saw it, oh I don’t know, get stuck while climbing a rock or something.”

“Y…yeah, that’s pretty much it,” said Jolis. “I should have everything ironed out after this test so I’ll be sure to let you know when V4’s ready to show off.”

Exhaling sharply, Shayla digressed.

“Okay, fine,” she replied sharply. “I’ll find something else to do.”

“I appreciate it,” said Jolis. “It also takes the pressure off…”

Before he could finish his sentence, Shayla had stormed off—obviously upset at being turned down.

Looking down at V4, Jolis shrugged his shoulders as V4 tilted its visual sensor to the side and then back straight. Not wanting to waste another moment, Jolis moved on and continued through the gate out into the wilderness.

It was a short walk to his usual spot from the village gates but where he was going tonight was a bit further off the trail.

He arrived at his normal star gazing location and stopped for a moment. He listened sharply and waited to see if anyone had followed him.

“V4, scan the area,” said Jolis. “Anyone following us?”

A few seconds followed as the droid processed the request.

“Sensors clear of humans,” replied V4.

Able to quickly scan a large area using laser sensors designed to detect certain audio signals, Jolis had programmed V4 to be able to detect the audible frequencies of the human heartbeat. It was one of the few areas of V4 which had proven to work exceedingly well.

Confident that he wasn’t being followed, Jolis continued on with V4 in tow. It took every bit of discipline within Jolis to not break into a full sprint due to his level of excitement.

A few moments later, they had arrived at their destination.

Stopping for a brief moment as he looked over the area to see if anything had been moved since his last visit, Jolis was satisfied that nothing had been touched.

Stepping forward, Jolis removed a large green tarp which was covering his latest and greatest technological achievement.

Using parts he’d been gathering for months as well as a few he’d been able to fabricate himself using tools and machinery from the office, Jolis had developed what he hoped would be the first interplanetary communication device.

It began as an idea during the previous cold season. Being stuck inside his family’s house for days at a time as the snow fell and temperatures dropped to well below freezing, Jolis began making pages of notes about his idea which soon became drawings, then schematics and then ultimately planning to see how he was going to be able to pull this off.

Although he had most of the pieces to construct the actual transmitter, it was missing one critical component: a power supply. After researching and testing, Jolis confirmed that his own creation—the portable power supply with enough stored current to power a home for months—was perfect for the job.

There was just one big problem: Every single one of them was inventoried and accounted for. Even though Eeruk wasn’t the smartest when it came to technology, he had a knack for making sure everything in the shop was exactly where it was supposed to be. Jolis often imagined that Eeruk was looking for a reason to get rid of him. No better way to do so than to catch his youngest employee stealing. As such, Eeruk made irregular checks of the inventory—meaning they were not on a schedule and would happen at random times.

For that reason, Jolis knew he’d have to take extra measures. So, using some scrap material which was being discarded, Jolis built his own power supply. Slightly different in shape when compared to the power supplies used throughout the village, it would still do the job. That is, if Jolis could get power to it.

Applying power to each power supply was a job which involved using the harnessed electrical energy which was captured during the seasonal lightning storms. These storms were most powerful as the cold season ended and the warmer weather rolled in. However, there was no way he’d be able to gain access to the main power grid to charge his own power supply. Only Eeruk had access to it.

Once again, Jolis had to get creative. With Eeruk’s permission, Jolis was allowed to build a charging station for V4 in his work area. Even so, Eeruk made sure there was no deceit going on and checked the connection to make sure it wasn’t compatible with any of the portable power supplies. What Eeruk _didn’t_ account for was V4 itself. Having designed an adapter module internally within V4, Jolis would connect the battery to his droid which allowed it to charge over an extended period of time. The large dome shape at the top of the droid which connected to four rectangular points at its base made it easy to hide the power supply within and Eeruk was none the wiser.

With all of the pieces available and a charged power supply in place, Jolis began the assembly process. Only able to do small amounts at a time—mostly due to not wanting to draw attention by carrying large amounts of machinery outside the gates—Jolis would stuff his bag with parts as often as he could and then head out into the wilderness for the evening. He was also limited to daylight as he didn’t want to use a luma lamp during the evening which would surely draw unwanted attention.

After months of work, the construction of the transmitter was now complete. Tonight he would finally test it.

All of his other duties and previous accomplishments seemed trivial compared to this achievement. If he could manage to contact life on another planet, he could be the one to usher in a new age for his people.

“Are we ready to begin, Master?” asked V4 as it pulled up alongside the transmitter.

“Just about. Let’s power it up and see if it works,” said Jolis, barely able to contain his excitement.

Reaching into his pack, Jolis pulled out his small power supply along with a few other hand tools.

Connecting the power supply it to the transmitter, Jolis said, “Check it.”

Opening a small compartment door on its side, a thin needle-like tool extended from V4 and connected to a power port on the side of the transmitter. Its red processing light flickered with activity.

“Power readings are ideal. Fluctuations are nominal. Ready for activation, Master.”

Jolis exhaled slowly.

“We’ve been waiting a long time for this, V4. Let’s see what happens.”

Flipping the main power switch, the transmitter flickered and came to life. The small antennae which was folded down alongside the transmitter rotated vertically and extended to its full height of about two meters. The digital display—designed to show signals in visual waveform format—held a steady line.

“Power draw is nominal,” reported V4. “Congratulations, Master Jolis. Everything appears to functioning properly.”

“Well, we’ve got it powered up. Now let’s…”

“What is that?!”

The sudden voice startled Jolis as he jumped up quickly and turned around. V4 also wheeled around as if caught off guard.

Standing in front of them both was Eeruk.

“How did you find me?!” demanded Jolis.

With a coy smile on his face, Eeruk chuckled and replied, “I asked first. What is that thing?”

“It’s none of your business, Eeruk. Now get lost!”

“Oh I don’t think so,” said Eeruk. “As Director of the power station, it’s my responsibility to know about everything that’s related to power. Which, of course, now includes this little creation of yours.”

Approaching slowly, Eeruk gave a cursory visual inspection of the device. Although he didn’t have the knowledge of electrical components which Jolis had, it didn’t take a genius to figure out what he was building.

“If I had to guess,” said Eeruk, “I’d say you were building a transmitter. And a damn powerful one at that.”

Jolis remained silent.

“Now, who would you be trying to contact? It wouldn’t be any of the other tribes. We already have means of contacting them. Or at least the ones who _want_ to be contacted.”

It only took a few seconds for Eeruk to put the puzzle pieces together.

“I get it. That rock you go out to. The staring off into space. The listening to that old fool Ulepi. You’re trying to send a signal to the stars hoping that someone out there will be listening.”

Eeruk cast a quick glance down at Jolis as the latter could only give a cold stare back at the former.

“Judging by the lack of a snappy comeback, I’m guessing I’ve hit the nail on the head.”

“Eeruk, please,” Jolis pleaded. “It’s just a little project I’ve been working on.”

“Just a little project? Do you realize how much of a fodder storm you’ve just cooked up?! I mean, look at this thing! And that power supply! You’ve used supplies _and_ power from the village to build this thing.”

“Eeruk, they were all used or damaged components. I didn’t…”

“Shut it!” snapped Eeruk. “Get your things. I’m taking you home. You’re gonna have a lot of explaining to do.”


	4. A Gathering of Minds

“This is indeed alarming, if what you’ve said is true.”

Emman, the village chieftain, ran his dark skinned fingers through his long black beard as he paced back and forth in his office. Having received an early morning notification from Eeruk about Jolis’ attempt to build a transmitter and potentially contact life on other planets, the two now stood before the ruler of the village.

“I saw it with my own eyes, Emman,” said Eeruk as he cast a glance down at Jolis who was standing beside him. “Who knows what damage he could’ve done in his foolishness!”

Turning sharply towards Eeruk, Emman stared at him for a moment before responding.

“An odd choice of words. Young Jolis has accomplished much in the way of advanced technology in a very short amount of time. I feel that it’s only natural that such a brilliant mind would want to reach even further.”

Eeruk’s head jerked back sharply.

“You can’t be serious. Are you taking his side on this?”

“I am taking no ones side,” Emman snapped back. “I am merely looking at this from all perspectives. Indeed, this could be a very dangerous tool, but it could also be an incredible opportunity for not just the village, but for every tribe and every tongue on Atophis.”

Exasperated, Eeruk threw his hands up.

“Oh that’s great,” replied Eeruk. “Why don’t we just take old Ulepi and put him on the radio so he can call out to his so called _ancient ones_.”

“This is no joking matter, Eeruk,” replied Emman. “I will make my decision and rest assured, it will be absolute.”

“You’ll forgive me if I have my doubts,” said Eeruk.

Jolis inhaled sharply at the obvious display of disrespect towards Emman.

_Perhaps these two have taken issue in the past?_

Emman didn’t rise to the bait. Being from a long line of Chieftains dating back to the first settlers of the Opachi tribe, Emman was the sole decision maker in the village with absolute power to rule as he saw fit. He had the respect of the people and, more or less, ruled fairly.

“I care for neither your approval nor your doubts, Eeruk,” replied Emman calmly. “In fact, please see yourself out. I wish to speak with young Jolis alone.”

A grumble came from Eeruk as he gave a sinister look to Jolis before turning and leaving the room.

Slowly walking back over to his desk, Emman took a seat behind it as he motioned for Jolis to sit at one of the two chairs positioned in front of him.

Jolis obeyed and sat down.

“Tell me, Jolis,” said Emman as he leaned back in his chair and crossed his fingers in front of him. “What were you planning to accomplish with this device?”

“I…” Jolis stuttered. He’d never been the direct center of attention of the village Chieftain before. Taking a deep breath, he found his voice.

“I think there’s something else out there, sir. There has to be,” said Jolis. “There could tribes like ours on other planets. If we were to contact them, it could bring a whole new level of technology as well as additional resources to Atophis for all of the tribes.”

Emman stared off for a moment as if in deep thought.

“An interesting idea. But even if what you said were to come true, we would have no method of reaching them,” said Emman. “We have no way of leaving this planet to reach other potential civilizations. That is, unless you’ve also designed some secret vessel which can reach the stars.”

Jolis chuckled.

“No sir.”

“Jolis, I must say that I’m intrigued. Wondering if there’s life outside of Atophis has long been a mystery that I’ve secretly contemplated. At the risk of sounding like old Ulepi, I would love to say that we could use your device to reach out and find an answer to this riddle.”

Emman shifted in his seat before speaking again.

“How confident are you that this…transmitter…you’ve designed will actually work?”

“Very confident, sir,” replied Jolis, suddenly excited. “I was nearly finished testing it when Eeruk interrupted me.”

Emman gave a slight smile as he exhaled.

“Jolis, I must agree that Eeruk was right to stop you. This is a difficult decision to make, even for one such as I. Don’t get me wrong. though. I’m very much intrigued by the possibilities.”

Jolis noticed that he was leaning forward in his seat.

“But,” Emman continued, “this decision is one which could potentially impact the life of every tribe on Atophis. It is not something that a little boy such as yourself should be making on behalf of the planet. Even with this matter now before me, I alone cannot make this decision.”

Confused, Jolis asked, “What will you do then, sir?”

Emman breathed deeply. “Something which has not been done in many passings of our moon. I must call together a gathering of every tribal leader; a special council which will determine the fate of this matter…and your device.”

Turning to look at Jolis, Emman sat up and leaned forward onto his desk; his face suddenly very serious.

“You must hear me, young Jolis. When the council makes its decision, it becomes the law of the land. Whether the council decides to use or destroy your device, you _must_ obey their decree. Doing otherwise would be…troublesome. Not just for you, but for all of the Opachi people. Do you understand?”

“Y..yes, sir.”

“Good,” said Emman sharply as he rose from his seat. “Return now to your family. It will take some time to summon the council once we light the message beacons. When it is time, your attendance will be required as you will be called upon to answer any questions the other tribal leaders may have.”

Walking over to the door, Emman opened it for Jolis.

As Jolis rose from his seat and turned to leave, Emman added one set of instruction.

“Oh and please stay away from the power station during this time. I won’t confine you to your home but I also won’t permit you to enter the station until this matter has been settled.”

“Yes, sir,” said Jolis as he passed in front of Emman to exit.

As the door to Emman’s office began to close, Jolis turned.

“Sir?”

Emman stuck his head out from the door. “Yes, Jolis.”

“Can I still keep my droid, V4? It’s harmless but I’m still developing him. He’ll be a great help to the village one day once I’m done with him.”

Emman smiled. “Yes, you can keep your droid.”

* * *

Weeks passed by. Still no word had come from Emman during that time so, rather than sit idly by as the village continued their preparation from the cold season, Jolis’ parents put their son to work at various locations throughout the village. From assisting with gardening to working on the large machinery used for mining, Jolis filled in gaps wherever he could.

Despite not receiving any sort of official punishment from Emman, Jolis couldn’t exactly say he was enjoying his present circumstance.

Coincidentally, word had leaked throughout the village of what Jolis had tried to do. Having no doubt that this was Eeruk’s doing, Jolis did his best to not let the constant snickering and gossip bother him. Even so, it was his friend Shayla who had informed him that, “People think you’re the next Ulepi!”

On this particular morning, however, he had been instructed by his father to go to the hunter’s den to help prepare the food which was being brought in for storage during the approaching cold.

As Jolis walked, V4 treaded along beside him as he always did.

“Please forgive me, Master. I feel I never apologized to you,” said V4. “I’m sorry. Apology confirmed.”

Confused, Jolis asked, “What do you have to apologize for?”

“Why, Eeruk catching us, of course,” said V4. “Oh how I dislike saying his name.”

“It’s okay, V4. It’s not your fault.”

“I disagree, Master. Had I been properly scanning the area, I would’ve detected him sooner and…”

“…and we still would’ve gotten caught,” said Jolis. “Everything was setup to run. We wouldn’t have been able to close it all down and hide everything before he found us.”

“I understand, Master,” replied V4. “Records updated to indicate that I am indeed not at fault. Thank you. Oh, and someone is quickly approaching from behind.”

Stopping and turning to look, Jolis noticed a lone man running towards the two of them. He recognized him as one of the Chieftain’s messengers.

“Jolis!” the runner shouted. As the man caught up to both Jolis and V4, he stopped. Breathing heavy, he said, “The time has come. Your presence is required by the council. You must follow me. Now.”

* * *

The trek through the jungle was long and arduous. Many hours had passed since Jolis and V4 had set out from the village with Chieftain Emman’s messenger. Since then, it had been a nonstop journey through terrain which—as they progressed further and further away from the village—was unknown to Jolis.

The hours passed. The sun was beginning to set as the narrow unmarked path they were following became more difficult to see.

Stopping suddenly, the messenger turned towards Jolis as he reached into his pocket and removed a long strip of cloth.

Handing it to Jolis, the messenger said, “Put this over your eyes. From this point on, it is a closely guarded secret.

Doing as he was told, Jolis grabbed the cloth and wrapped it around his head to cover his eyes. The messenger then inspected the cloth to make sure it covered Jolis’ eyes properly.

“The presence of your machine may also alarm some of the more primitive tribes,” the messenger added. “We are very close now so I would recommend it waits here until deliberations are concluded.”

Now blindfolded, Jolis could hear the mechanical wheels connected by the treads of V4 turn slightly. He knew his droid had turned to look up at him.

“Master?” asked V4.

Jolis took a deep breath before responding.

“V4, tuck tail,” said Jolis.

“Acknowledged.”

On command, a single sharp blast of air from the bottom rear of V4 lifted the droid so it was now vertical facing straight down. Applying full power to its treads, the droid rapidly began to dig its way underground. Large amounts of dirt began flying into the air and then landing down on top of V4. After a moment, V4 was completely submerged underground.

This was followed by an odd silence as Jolis imagined the messenger standing their with his mouth gapping open.

“Shall we?” asked Jolee.

The messenger led Jolis by his elbow as they progressed further down the path. Although he couldn’t see where he was going, Jolis could tell that night had fallen as the ambient light was now completely gone.

Coming to an abrupt stop once again, the cloth around Jolis’ head was suddenly removed by the messenger.

A large wooden archway stood before them. Two pillars, each about five meters high, stood tall with torches lit at their bases. Looking up, Jolis could make out the curved wood carving which spanned three meters across and connected the two pillars at their peaks. The carving appeared to feature numerous faces but it was difficult for Jolis to make out how many their were against the starlit night sky.

Solid walls of vegetation flanked the pillars as to only allow entrance through this single point.

As the two passed between the two pillars, Jolis took note of the numerous intricate carvings which were inlaid with various colored gemstones on each of the pillars.

“How long has this place been here?” asked Jolis.

“Thousands of moon passes,” the messenger said quietly.

The ground beneath them was made of precisely placed stonework which, despite their age, looked unusually well maintained. The two followed the stone path deeper into the outdoor structure. Torches lit their way as Jolis noticed a larger structure up ahead. Numerous guards stood watch outside and, as the two walked, they could hear the rustling of trees on either side of them.

“We’re entering sacred ground, Jolis,” whispered the messenger. “Few commoners have ever stepped foot in this place. Every step within the borders of the council chambers are watched.”

The council chambers was a location Jolis had heard only rumors about from his parents. A place where decisions of utmost importance are made, the remote meeting place was a closely guarded secret only accessible to the upper leadership of each tribe which spanned across Atophis. Decisions of peace, war, trade and territories were typically settled here.

During their journey, the messenger had informed Jolis that the council chambers was a neutral zone. No hostilities were to be shown here. Jolis also learned that the only time a hostile act was displayed during a council was during its first meeting to decide if the people—who had up until that point all lived together in the great city within the Triguilden mountains—should branch out and form individual tribes.

At that time, the people who went on to become the Maligi tribe, rose up against the council as they demanded more lands and resources. The opposing leaders united against the Maligi, defeated the uprising and exiled them to the far northern lands. Although they were permitted to maintain a seat on the council, their voice on matters of importance was greatly diminished from that day forward.

Approaching the structure, they were greeted by a nearly two dozen guards—all wearing different attire—at the entrance.

Stopping, the messenger took a knee and bowed his head low. Jolis followed suit.

“I, messenger of Chieftain Emman, bring Jolis of the Opachi tribe before the council as requested.”

A single set of footsteps approached and stopped a meter in front of the two.

Still bowing his head, Jolis could only see the figure’s dark bare feet. The light from numerous torches revealed several scars on the man’s legs.

“Wait outside, messenger,” said the deep voice of the man before them. “You, Jolis. Rise and stand before the council.”

Slowly lifting his head, Jolis noticed that his knees were trembling as he stood up. The sight of the man before him was frightening. Standing over two meters tall, the dark-skinned man had two vertical red lines painted straight down across his eyes and another starting at his bottom lip and going straight down to the base of his neck. A single white line was painted horizontally across his eyes.

He was shirtless and wore only a wrap made from the skin of a Balma—one of the largest predators on Atophis—across his waist. The head of the creature, with its three eyes wide open and its fangs which appeared to have been sharpened, covered the front side of the man. His massive form was accentuated by light from the nearby torches which showed his intimidating appearance in more detail.

The man turned around sharply and entered the structure. Jolis hesitated for a moment before following suit.

It was a mere twenty or so paces before Jolis found himself standing before the leaders of every tribe on Atophis. Twenty-eight tribes were represented in the council; each seated on a simple chair identical to the one next to it. Seated in a circle, Jolis was instructed to stand in the center.

Feeling his heart beating rapidly as he slowly took his place, Jolis briefly looked up into the night sky as he took a deep breath.


	5. The Council

Reaching the center of the council chambers, Jolis stopped and looked around. All twenty-eight tribal leaders—each wearing drastically different attire—had fixed their eyes on the young boy.

A voice suddenly broke the silence.

“You stand before the Council of Atophis, young Jolis.”

Turning towards the voice, Jolis spotted Emman who was seated between two men. To his left, a man covered in tree limbs, twigs and green leaves which—when woven together—produced an intricate material unfamiliar to Jolis. To his right, a much older man who wore gold and red plated body armor. The armor looked old and more ceremonial than practical. Still, when combined with the man’s painted red face and jet black hair, Jolis found that he was unable to hold eye contact with him.

Emman continued. “You have been summoned to answer questions pertaining to the device you have constructed which could potentially be used to contact other civilizations. Do you now, in fealty to the Chieftain of the Opachi tribe, swear to answer any and all questions truthfully and with honesty?”

“I…I do. Yes, sir,” replied Jolis. Even as he spoke, he could hear the sound of his own heart beating in his ear.

“The council, being briefed prior to your arrival, will now question you at will.”

Immediately, the older man wearing the red and gold armor rose from his seat.

“I am Lord Keszen. Ruler of the Maligi tribe. You have heard of us, yes?”

“Yes, sir. I have,” replied Jolis.

“This…device. It can be used to communicate with the stars?”

“Only if someone is listening on the other end,” replied Jolis. “Think of it like one of us talking out loud. Unless there’s someone around to hear what you’re saying, it’s just noise filling an otherwise empty space.”

“And what will happen if we use this device and someone hears us?” asked Keszen. “What will we say to them? ‘Please, come to our world and take our resources? Infect us with plague and pestilence? Leave our lands a desolate and uninhabitable husk?!’”

“Ech’een! Slavi’ dechh’e bat’un!” hissed a man from behind Jolis.

Turning around, Jolis was momentary taken aback by the frightful appearance of the man who’d just spoken. Shrouded in shadow, the figure appeared to be nothing more than a silhouette as he wore black material which even the nearby torch could do little to reveal in detail. The only thing Jolis saw of the man was a pair of eyes staring back at him.

“That is Chief Sanu of the Ayoreo tribe,” replied Emman.

“What did he say?” asked Jolis.

“Nothing which a boy of your age should hear.”

A few chuckles came from the other members of the council.

“Alti’nu cu’ui bat’o! Ing’sa imaldi ve Keszen!” said Sanu.

Turning toward Emman for an answer, his Chieftain nodded.

“He said we should use the device. If only because it scares Keszen.”

Several members of the council laughed at the comment.

“Coming from a man who hides in the jungle with his people, his words hold no weight to me,” replied Keszen. “This device must be destroyed. It is a simple matter and one which we should vote on immediately.”

“We will not vote until all other questions have been answered,” replied Emman sharply.

“And what will this child tell us that we do not already know?” shouted Keszen. “That he alone should speak to the stars? No? Who then will do this? I say, no one!”

Slowly, the man to the left of Emman—the one covered in woven leaves and twigs—rose from his seat. As he stood up to speak, Jolis saw that he was far older than he first appeared.

“I speak for the Whyzlyn tribe,” said the old man in a withered voice. “My people grow in number and our borders close around us. Should we use this device, we may yet find that no one is out there. If that were the case, then the possibility of expanding our tribes to other worlds can be discussed.”

Several murmurs of surprise came from the council as the Whyzlyn people were known for their disdain of technology.

“Chieftain Tanulis speaks wisdom,” said Emman. “We must look at this as a tool for not only the good of our people, but for future generations as well. How long will be be confined to Atophis? Is there enough land to support our ever expanding populations? Will there be enough food and water? These are all questions which I believe young Jolis has provided an answer for with his device. I feel that the day is fast approaching when we must look to the stars. _That_ is where we will find the future of our people.”

Several of the council members began stomping their feet in a steady rhythm; a sign of support amongst all the tribes.

“Save us from your rousing speeches, Emman,” said Keszen who was still standing. “Of all the tribes on Atophis, it is yours—the Opachi tribe—which stands to benefit the most from your delusions of grandeur.

“We stand here on the brink of a complete unknown,” continued Keszen. “Tell me, when was the last time you blindly reached your arm into a nest of deadly praetuc beetles hoping to pull out a rare gem? Or danced your way into the depths of the Low World hoping to provide a friendly greeting to a weraryk? Never! We have some knowledge of these things and as such, we avoid such foolishness. Yet here we are discussing something none of us have any knowledge of and yet some are wanting to open this portal when we know not what lies on the other side!”

Murmurs of support began to spread for Keszen.

“We _must_ destroy this device,” he said. “ _That_ is the only way we can truly safeguard our people, our lands and our planet.”

Several feet began to stomp as Lord Keszen took his seat.

Suddenly, a great cry came from outside the council chambers.

“WE MUST SPEAK TO THE STARS!”

Instantly, Jolis recognized the voice.

Unfortunately, so did Emman.

The sounds of a struggle at the entrance of the council chambers caused everyone to turn and look. There at the entrance, was an old withered man trying his hardest to break through the giant wall of a man who had escorted Jolis in.

“Ulepi!” shouted Emman as headed towards the entrance to the council. “How did you find this place?”

“I’ve known about this place for longer than you’ve been alive, Emman,” said Ulepi.

The large muscular man who’d greeted both Jolis and the messenger now stood between Ulepi and the council entrance.

“With your permission,” he said to Emman, “I will discard him.”

Emman didn’t respond to the man which surprised Jolis. Instead he stood at the entrance and spoke.

“You must go back, Ulepi,” said Emman. “This meeting is not for your ears.”

“Speak to the stars!” shouted Ulepi. “You have a means of communicating with the ancient ones! Speak to them! They will return to us and provide us with the technology and resources we need to further sustain ourselves! They may even take us to new worlds! Speak with them! I beg you!”

Several council members laughed.

“I vote that we let _this_ man speak on our behalf,” joked Keszen. “Is this how you govern the Opachi, Emman? Allowing commoners to simply interject their opinions into this sacred council?”

Emman’s face grew warm. He turned to the large man standing between him and Ulepi.

“Take him and throw him out by the pillars,” said Emman. “Do not let him reenter.”

The man nodded and carried out his orders, which meant carrying Ulepi out.

Even as he was being carried out, Ulepi kept shouting.

“The ancient ones await! The stars await! Speak! Speak to the ancient ones!”

After several moments, Ulepi’s voice faded further enough away that the council was able to continue.

“We vote now,” said Keszen. “Lest we have anymore of Emman’s villagers interrupt us.”

Emman, returning to his seat, sighed deeply.

“Are there anymore questions for Jolis?” he asked.

A few of the tribal leaders shifted in their seats but nobody stood to be recognized.

“Then deliberations are complete. The council will now vote on the fate of Jolis’ device.”

Turning to Jolis, Emman said, “You must leave the council chambers now, Jolis. You will also camp here for the night. At dawn, my messenger will escort you back to the village.”

* * *

Surprisingly, Jolis slept soundly that night. Weary from the trek through the jungle as well as his deliberations with the council, Jolis could hardly remember entering his camping quarters and falling asleep.

Dawn had now come as Jolis continued to lay where he had slept. His dreams, as he remembered them, had been disturbing as he somehow imagined all of the tribes going to war with one another. Even as he lay there now in deep thought, he couldn’t shake the vision from his mind.

The flap to his camping quarters swung open suddenly as the messenger who had brought Jolis to the council chambers entered.

“Are you ready to leave, Jolis?” he asked. “We have a long journey ahead of us.”

Startled, Jolis kept his cool and replied with a question of his own.

“What did the council decide last night? What will happen to my transmitter?”

The messenger sighed deeply. Slowly, he peaked outside to see if anyone was nearby before he responded.

“The vote last night was a draw,” said the messenger. “Fourteen members on each side voted. However, Chief Sanu of the Ayoreo tribe is trying to make a case to the council that Lord Keszen’s vote be removed. It’s a messy situation, Jolis.”

“So what will happen?”

“For now, nothing,” said the messenger. “The council will stay and continue to deliberate until a decision has been made.”

“Can I stay?” asked Jolis. “They may need me for further questions. Nobody knows the transmitter like I do.”

“I have no doubt of that, Jolis,” replied the messenger. “But I’ve been given instruction by Chieftain Emman to return you to the village. Additionally, a runner was sent ahead of us earlier this morning. He will be looking for Eeruk who will be asked to reveal the location of your transmitter.”

Jolis felt a sudden anger awaken inside of him.

“Why?”

“That’s not all,” replied the messenger. They’re…”

A momentary pause followed.

“What is it?” asked Jolis.

“I fear I’ve said too much. We need to get moving.”

“Tell me,” pleaded Jolis. “Please!”

Lowering his voice, the messenger continued.

“You’re not supposed to know this but they’re also raiding your family home and seizing all of your electrical components. You won’t be allowed to have contact with anything related to your transmitter. I’m sorry, Jolis. But Lord Keszen pushed for this. He swayed the council to vote that you not be allowed access to any such tools or components until this matter has been cleared.”

Jolis could feel his face begin to burn with rage.

“I don’t answer to Lord Keszen,” Jolis said slowly.

“No, but you answer to the council and the council has ruled in his favor against you!” replied the messenger sharply as he stepped out. “We leave now. Get your things.”

After a moment, Jolis found that he was once again blindfolded and being led back into the jungle for the long trek home. First, however, they would meet up with V4.

When they arrived at the location where V4 had buried himself, they saw what now appeared to be an empty hole in the ground.

The messenger removed Jolis’ blindfold.

“What happened to your droid?” asked the messenger.

“Sometimes he just digs a little deeper,” replied Jolis. “Better check to see if he’s under any of the loose dirt.”

The messenger dropped to his knees and began sweeping away the loose contents of the hole to see if the droid had indeed buried itself further down.

“I’m not seeing it. Are you sure he _AHHHHH!”_

The messenger shook with electricity as a quick power blast came from something hiding a nearby bush.

The messenger collapsed to the ground unconscious as V4 rolled out into the open.

“Are you certain that was necessary, Master Jolis?” asked V4, genuinely concerned. “His face hit the ground rather hard. He could be damaged.”

“He’ll be alright,” replied Jolis as he tapped a small device he wore around his wrist. “I’m just glad to see our communicator is working correctly.”

V4 wheeled himself over to the messenger and conducted a brief scan.

“Breathing and heart rate normal, Master. Shall we proceed?”

“Yes,” replied Jolis. “We have some unfinished business.”

* * *

As Jolis and V4 proceeded along, it was the latter who led the way. Having tracked their original path to the council chambers, V4 now had the route saved to its memory bank. It was now a simple matter of returning the way they came.

As the hours passed by, Jolis soon began recognizing his familiar terrain when V4 suddenly went on alert.

“Someone approaches, Master,” said V4 quietly.

“Hide!” whispered Jolis.

Jolis crouched down and the two quickly hid behind a nearby bush which was large enough to conceal both of their locations.

After a few seconds, Jolis could hear the unmistakable sound of someone running from behind them.

Coming into view, the messenger was running at full speed back the route he’d taken Jolis and V4 yesterday, undoubtedly looking for them. As he raced past the two, however, Jolis breathed a sigh of relief.

“That was close, Master,” said V4. “What will happen when the village finds out what’s transpired?”

“We don’t have time to worry about that,” said Jolis. “We’re almost there.”

“Are we going to…oh. Master, are you sure that’s a good idea?”

“I made it, V4. I’d just like to use it before it’s taken away by a bunch of people who have no concept of this technology.”

After some time had passed, the two finally arrived at their destination.

Jolis approached the transmitter to see if anything had been disturbed but V4 beat him to it.

“The transmitter itself appears to have not been tampered with, Master Jolis. However, it appears that the power supply you designed is missing.”

Jolis continued to look over the transmitter as he also noticed the evening light begin to fade in the sky.

“Without a power supply, I’m afraid the transmitter is useless, Master.”

Jolis ran some figures through his head and then suddenly turned towards V4.

“V4, extend your power lead. Just enough to maintain contact with the leads on the transmitter. We just need a solid connection and an even flow of power.”

V4 did as he was instructed.

As a side compartment opened, V4’s power lead extended outward. Normally used for charging operations when housed at the power station, the power lead worked two ways as it was capable of both sending and receiving power.

“Will this sting, Master?” asked V4.

Jolis smiled.

“You may get a little…”

_ZAP!_

The power connection was made as an audible sound signified that power was now flowing.

“Power readings are less than ideal. We will not have full functionality as I don’t have the ability to output the required amount of power. Compensating. Fluctuations are falling and…now stable. Ready for activation, Master.”

Jolis reached out and put his hand on the power activation switch for the transmitter.

“Let’s try this again,” he said.

Flipping the switch, the transmitter came to life once again as the antenna extended straight up and the digital display appeared.

Jolis smiled.

“We’re really doing this, V4.”

“Indeed, Master. Power draw is nominal. The transmitter is now operational but our range will be limited.”

Jolis suddenly felt a weight in his stomach as he stood there staring at the microreceiver used for speaking into. He knew that he was about to do what no other person in the history of Atophis had done.

He was about to speak with the stars.

Slowly reaching for the comm activation button, Jolis pressed it. The digital waveform display indicated that the signal was indeed live and being broadcast. He closed his eyes and spoke.

“H…hello? Is anyone out there?”

Releasing the comm button, Jolis fixed his eyes on the digital display.

“Very well stated, Master,” replied V4 sarcastically. “May your first words to the stars echo for eternity.”

Jolis, too focuses on the display to pay any attention to his droid’s quib, had his eyes locked on the waveform readout.

The solid blue line—which would oscillate as it detected an audio signal—was flat. No signal was being detected.

Jolis tried again.

“Is anyone there? Can you hear me?”

A moment passed and still nothing.

“It’s possible that the signal isn’t strong enough using my power, Master. Perhaps we could…”

A sudden sharp crackle of audio interference silenced V4 and caused Jolis to fall backwards.

The digital display lit up and quickly faded as it received the brief signal.

Even as he was now laying on his back staring at his transmitter, Jolis’ heart sank. Not sure if he should be ecstatic or afraid, Jolis simply turned and stared at V4 who had his own visual receptor fixed on Jolis.

The crackle came again. This time, it was longer.

Jolis snapped to and sat back up.

“Can you clean it up, V4?”

“Affirmative. Triangulating signal.”

The antenna attached to the transmitter rotated another 20 degrees forward.

“Come in! Are you able to hear me?” Jolis tried to reach out again. This time, however, no response came.

“Give it a second,” said Jolis.

Not even sure if he was breathing due to how tense he was, Jolis remained still for several moments as he waited.

Nothing.

“It may have just been some other sort of electrical signal, Master,” said V4. “Perhaps atmospheric bounce from an approaching storm.”

Finally, after waiting for a while, Jolis tried again.

“Hello?”

Both Jolis and V4 fixed their vision on the waveform display.

Right before their eyes, they began to see small fluctuations on the readout. A few quiet pops and then, the sound of a slight static.

“I think we’re getting something, V4. I just don’t know…

“ _Hatcherdna tesh?”_

A deep and raspy voice hissed on the radio.

Jolis froze with fear.

“Master?” whispered V4 with almost a tremble to its voice. “Who are we speaking to?

Jolis’ eyes were wide open in fear, not excitement. He suddenly felt seized by dread at the sound of the voice as it continued.

“ _Ank ba hant kahassk sha Atophis!”_

Suddenly, Jolis reached forward and powered off the transmitter.

“Close it down, V4! Close it down!”

Not even waiting for his droid to finish powering the transmitter down, Jolis—overcome with fear at what had just transpired—took off running back to the village.


	6. Red Skies

Jolis lay in bed most of the night unable to sleep. Fear had all but seized him as the sound of the voice he’d heard—the likes of which he’d never heard before—replayed in his mind over and over again.

He didn’t recognize the language which could mean only one thing: He’d done it. He had contacted sentient life outside of Atophis and was the first in the history of his people to accomplish this feat.

Despite the accomplishment, Jolis was in no mood for celebrations.

The morning had now come and, after slipping into his family’s home late last night, he knew he’d have a lot to answer for.

Chieftain Emman’s messenger would have undoubtedly come looking for him here. Having discovered that Jolis wasn’t there, he would’ve explained to Jolis’ parents what had happened to him both during and after the council meeting. Jolis would also have to explain where he was during that time he had slipped away and why he had V4 shocked the messenger.

Overall, Jolis knew he would be in a lot of trouble.

Rolling over in his bed and peeking out the window, Jolis saw the sun rising in the sky which painted the clouds an eerie red color.

He wouldn’t be able to hide in his room forever as sooner or later, reality would find him.

Despite all of the trouble which now awaited him, he still had one outstanding problem.

_Who should I tell about the voice? I wasn’t even supposed to be using the transmitter!_

The fear shook him again as Jolis’ heart and mind clammed up. He felt as if his stomach were in a vise grip and there was no way to break free.

Unless…

Jolis slid out of his bed and stood up.

Sliding open the door to his room, he stepped out towards the kitchen area where he knew his father would be at this hour.

He walked slowly down the hall, brushing his hand against the stone wall as he went.

Entering the room, he wasn’t surprised to see his father, Torek, sitting and appearing to be waiting.

“I’m glad you decided to come out,” said Torek without making eye contact. “Facing your problems head on is often wiser than trying to simply brush them under the rug hoping they go away.”

“I’m sorry, Da!” said Jolis as tears began to fall from his eyes. “I don’t know what I was thinking!”

“They’ve already taken all of your tools and components away for the time being,” said Torek calmly. “However, I’m gonna have to take it a step further. I need you to shut your droid down.”

Jolis was shaking at this point.

“It’s not his fault, Da! I told him to do it! All of it!”

“It’s not a permanent thing,” replied Torek. “Just until we can figure out what to do with your little transmitter you’ve constructed.”

At mention of the transmitter, Jolis’ knees started to shake as he stood before his father.

“Da…I’m…I’m so s-s-sorry,” Jolis stuttered.

Torek, bewildered by the extreme display happening in front of him, couldn’t understand why his son was acting in such a manner.

“By the Chief, calm down boy! Once we have all the facts straight, we’ll get it sorted out. You did wrong but I’m on your side. Remember that.”

Tears were now streaming down Jolis’ face. He couldn’t think about anything other than that voice he heard. The voice which also mentioned Atophis.

“Da…it’s not just that,” said Jolis. “I…I did something. Something bad.”

Torek chuckled.

“What, did you use your droid to zap Eeruk a little harder for calling you out?”

“No.”

Jolis initially hesitated but he knew what had to be done.

“The transmitter,”

At that, Torek’s face suddenly became serious.

“The transmitter the Council has forbade you to use? What of it, son?”

Jolis looked down to see that his hands were shaking. However, his father was wise and had already begun putting the pieces together.

“Let me guess. You used your droid to shock the Chieftain’s messenger and then ran off to your transmitter. After you were strictly forbidden from doing so!”

“I’m so sorry, Da! I…used it.”

“You…you what? How? They took away your power supply?”

“V4,” said Jolis as he put his hands over his eyes.

Torek could only shake his head.

“Son, you’re in for it now. And there won’t be much I can do to stop it. I’ll try to talk with Emman when he…”

“Da, I heard something on the transmitter!” Jolis shouted, interrupting his father.

“You…heard something?” asked Torek, confused. “What did you hear?”

“A voice,” said Jolis, still shaking.

Stepping forward and kneeling down in front of Jolis, Torek asked, “What kind of voice? What did it say? Speak!”

“I don’t know, Da! I didn’t recognize the language.”

“Was it one of us? Another tribe, maybe?”

“No, Da. No other tribe would have a transmitter like this. And the voice didn’t sound…human.”

Torek furrowed his brow as he lowered his voice.

“What are you saying, son? That you contacted life outside of Atophis?”

Unable to respond, Jolis simply nodded his head up and down.

A look of shock filled Torek’s face; a wide-eyed wonder at the conversation which had just taken place. This changed everything.

“Jolis, tell me everything. Was it friendly? Can you tell where it came from?”

“It was close,” said Jolis. “We had a limited range since I was using V4 as a power supply. And…it…”

Jolis looked his father in the eyes.

“The voice didn’t sound friendly. And it mentioned Atophis.”

Torek slowly stood up. He began looking around the house, although Jolis wasn’t sure why.

He finally spoke.

“Jolis, I need you to go and find your mother. Bring her back home and then you’re to both stay here until I return.”

Confused, Jolis asked, “What? Why? Where are you going?”

“I need to tell this to the village guards,” said Torek.

“They’ll think you’re crazy, Da.”

“I don’t care! Emman’s still at the council session so we need to be on alert until we can reach him. You said they were close. We could be in danger, son.”

Jolis wrapped his arms around himself, now shaking in fear at what he’d potentially done.

Seeing his son like this, Torek knelt back down in front of him.

“Jolis, listen to me. It’s very important that you do exactly as I say. Can I trust you to go and get your mother?”

Jolis’ eyes were wide open with a look of horror on his face. Even so, he acknowledged his father.

“Y-y-yes, sir,” he stuttered.

“Then go. Now,” demanded Torek. “Don’t stop until…

Right then, the ground beneath them began to rumble. It was subtle at first but with each passing moment, the intensity grew.

Jolis and his father locked eyes as they momentarily froze in place.

Suddenly, several screams could be heard from outside as the village emergency alarm began to sound.

Snapping out of it, Torek rushed outside and saw dozens of people running in a panic. Many were pointing to the sky which caused him to look up as well.

Filling the sky above their village was a large vessel which moved slowly as it blocked out the morning sunrise.

The tan body of the vessel was accented with yellow and grey markings along its base and sides. It was long and thin but appeared to widen out towards its rear where two engines were externally mounted on either side. It had a weathered and worn look to it, as if it were very old. Still, the massive vessel filled the red skies overhead as small doors on its sides began to open.

Running back inside, Torek grabbed Jolis as the village’s sirens were wailing in the background.

“Jolis, I want you to grab your droid and run. Make for the woods. I’ll find your mother and we’ll be right behind you. Your droid will know how to find us.”

Running, Torek headed over to a nearby wall where a very old sword hung. Grabbing it, Torek looked at Jolis.

“What are you waiting for! Go! Now!”

Jolis hit a button on his wrist communicator which activated V4. Wheeling itself through the house, V4 was clueless as it approached Jolis.

“Good morning, Master Jolis! How may I be of service to you on this fine but slightly noisy morning?”

“V4, follow me and stay close! I’ll fill you in later! We have to leave!”

“Oh my!” shouted the droid.

Running from the house, Jolis and V4 headed for the main gate of the village as his father headed towards the gardens where his mother was working this morning.

Looking up, Jolis noticed several smaller vessels pouring from numerous open doors on the vessel. Some headed off in various directions but four were coming down upon the village.

Several members of the village militia were now assembling with various weapons in hand. From the beam cannons which Jolis helped design to the pull-action crossbows, these weapons were typically only seen in the most dire of circumstances.

Four rectangular looking craft which had broken off from the main ship descended and had now landed at the four corners of the village. The militia—numbering only about 30 men— split up into small groups to cover each vessel.

Seconds after the vessels landed, the doors of each vessel opened and dozens of different species which had never been seen by the people of Atophis poured out. They were heavily armed and charged straight for the militia.

Seeing the frightful sight of numerous alien species running towards them, a few of the militia on the eastern side of the village fled before the first shot was fired. The remaining men were quickly outnumbered as automatic laser fire from the invaders tore through their ranks.

Some of the militia were able to return fire. Activating their beam cannons, the group which had been sent to the northern most ship fired continuous solid energy beams at the invaders as they exited the vessel. Seven enemies fell but even so, their numbers were too great. Returning fire, the intruders overpowered the militia as eight men fell from the firepower of the nearly two dozen enemy troops.

Running through the chaos, Jolis and V4 reached the village gate to see it still open. They both hurried towards it with the hopes of finding refuge in the woods.

“Master, my scanners are detecting nearly three dozen different species in the invading force,” said V4 as he raced along beside Jolis.

A sudden burst of screams which sounded like children caught Jolis’ attention. He stopped dead in his tracks and witnessed four children he’d known for years being rounded up by the invaders and carried back to the enemy ships.

“Master! The gate!” shouted V4.

Just then, another vessel—larger than the other drop ships—landed at the village gate.

The vessel stood in stark contrast to the main ship above the village as it was dark green in color with blacked out windows and looked very well maintained. It’s long wings folding upwards and then in half as it touched down on the surface.

As the main door opened, a lone figure emerged. Standing over two meters tall, the green-skinned lizard-like creature slowly and methodically walked down the ramp. It’s face grimaced which revealed dozens of sharp teeth. Carrying a large double-bladed sword in its right hand, the creature stopped once it’s bare feet stepped on the ground. It wore black armored leggings from the knees up as well as a black chest piece which appeared to protect its upper torso and shoulders. A long red cape flapped in the slight breeze as the creature appeared to casually look over the scene unfolding before it.

Moments later, four more lizard-like figures with similar features but shorter in size emerged from the vessel and lined up along both sides of the black armored creature, two on each side. Although these creatures appeared to be the same species as the center figure, their skin tones were all slightly different, ranging from yellow to dark red.

Jolis froze in place, momentarily stunned as his only exit was now blocked.

“What do we do, V4?”

“Scanning,” was the droid’s only reply.

Screams and blaster fire filled the air. Jolis began looking around frantically for another way out. There was the pass by the mountains used by the miners but there was no way he’d be able to reach it as it was on the other side of the village. Plus, his parents would be looking for him by the main entrance.

“V4?! Anything?”

“Master, all entrances appear to be blocked. Recommend hiding.”

Just then, a massive explosion ripped through the village. Turning towards the sound, Jolis noticed that the village’s power station—his former place of work—had been destroyed by cannon fire coming from the main ship above.

“Detecting a breach in the perimeter by the power station,” said V4.

“Let’s go,” replied Jolis.

As they turned to run towards what was left of the power station, a loud but similar voice echoed through the village.

“S’ont yot nask! Tar eech yev den’v!”

Jolis recognized that voice. He’d heard it once before and then a thousand times in his dreams just last night.

Turning back, he saw the tall green creature in the black armor looking directly at him. It raised its unusually long arm and pointed at him. Just then, the four other figures beside it drew swords and charged towards Jolis.

“Suggesting motion, Master!”

Jolis didn’t need another reminder. He took off running with V4 following closely behind.

He ran as fast as he could but as he looked over his shoulder, he saw the four dark figures closing on him quickly.

Hearing more screams, Jolis looked to his right to see even more children and younger adults being seized by the invaders and carried into the transports.

Bodies of his fellow villagers filled he streets as he also saw several invaders going from home to home as he ran.

Continuing to race towards the power station, he could see the smoke from it getting closer but as he cast a glance over his shoulder again, he saw that the lizard creatures were nearly upon him.

He was frantic, panicking at the fate which now seemingly awaited him once he as caught.

An electrical charge from V4 shocked the closest figure as it let out a sharp cry. Stumbling to the ground momentarily before raising back up and continuing pursuit, Jolis knew he was simply delaying the inevitable.

Running as fast as he could down the street, a single blaster shot came from a corner on Jolis’ left side. He heard a body behind him hit the ground. A second shot followed which dropped another of his pursuers.

Then, a war cry like he had never heard before roared from the right side of the street. Turning, Jolis saw his father charging towards the remaining two figures. Carrying the large sword which had been hanging on their wall for as long as Jolis could remember, his father lept into the fray. With a single stroke, the first of Jolis’ pursuers fell; hewn in half from the right shoulder to the waist.

The sole remaining figure charged head on at Torek. Jolis stood by watching. He’d never seen his father move like that before as he parried and attacked with the old sword.

“Jolis!”

He heard the voice of his mother call him. Turning, he saw her on the opposite side of the street holding a pull-action crossbow. She was the shooter who’d dropped the first two of his pursuers.

“Get out of here!” she shouted. “Head for the forest and don’t let them catch you! We’ll be right behind…”

A single blast from a group of approaching enemies ended her life.

“Ma!” screamed Jolis.

Seeing the sight of his now deceased wife laying on the ground, Torek was sent into a furry.

He screamed with rage and began swinging the old sword wildly. Ending the life of the combatant he was fighting with a quick thrust through the creature’s chest, Torek put his foot to the creature’s chest and pushed it off of his sword.

“Jolis! You must leave now!” said Torek as he approached.

Turning, he saw the approaching invaders which had just killed his wife. Behind them, a lone figure was walking slowly through the streets heading their way.

Torek raced over and grabbed Jolis by the arm and pulled him into a narrow alley way as V4 followed.

Kneeling down, Torek placed his hand on his son’s cheek. Noticing that Jolis’ eyes were locked onto the sight of his dead mother, Torek turned his head so that he locked eyes with him.

“Son, you must leave,” said Torek. “They’re getting close.”

“I did this, Da! I did this!”

Shaking his son with his hand, Torek tried to get him to focus.

“Look at me! You need to get out of here. Now!”

Quickly peering around the corner, Torek could see the hole in the perimeter fence close to where the power station once stood. He also noticed numerous invaders searching the area close to where the bodies of the creatures which Jolis’ parents had disposed of lined the streets.

“Run for the gap in the fence and into the forest. I’ll hold them off and meet up with you but you must go now. I love you, son. This is not the end.”

“Hostiles approaching,” replied V4 who was standing watch.

“V4,” said Torek. “You lead the way. Jolis, you follow V4 and don’t stop. Go now!”

At that V4 took off and Jolis followed as close behind as he could.

Upon noticing a child running through the open streets, the invaders went into full pursuit. That is, until a large figure wielding a sword fell upon them.

Torek slashed wildly at the group, killing three in his initial attack. The remaining charged him in force but he held his ground. He began retreating down a similar alley where their numbers could do little. With each enemy he defeated, Torek’s fury seemed to grow.

He was dismayed, however, when he noticed even more enemies descending upon him. Even so, he took satisfaction knowing that he was hopefully allowing at least some in the villagers the opportunity to escape.

A great voice suddenly filled the air.

“CHA’K NAS!”

At the sound of the voice, the invaders stopped and suddenly retreated. Torek pursued them back out into the street but stopped as he caught sight of a tall green-skinned creature wearing black armor who now had its eyes locked on Torek. It stood in the middle of the street. The double-bladed sword wielded by the creature sliced through the air as it was spun in elaborate flourishes.

The enemy soldiers formed a circle around the black armored creature and Torek as they began to chant and taunt the one who now stood before their leader.

The long double-bladed sword had now ceased its elaborate motions and stood still at the creature’s side.

Torek, not intimidated by the tall menacing creature, looked over at the nearby body of a creature he’d chopped down—similar in appearance to the one now before him—and spat on it.

“By the sword of my ancestors, you will fall!” Torek shouted. “Come and meet your end, beast!”

* * *

Jolis continued to follow V4 after the two had been able to slip through the breach in the village perimeter fence. As they continued to race through the woods, the noise from the massacre they’d both left behind began to diminish in the distance.

Stopping, Jolis was breathing heavy as tears continued to fall from his eyes.

“V4, what have I done!?”

“Master, there’s no way we could’ve known,” replied the droid.

“The entire village, my Ma, my…my Da.”

Suddenly looking at V4, Jolis said, “Quick, do a scan to see if he’s close behind us.”

“Processing,” replied the droid. Seconds later, it said, “Negative on the scan, Master. You’re the only sentient life form in this area.”

Jolis, all alone now, felt a fear like he’d never felt before. He’d witnessed his mother’s death, his childhood friends being taken—carried off to who knows where—and he’d seen the dead bodies of his fellow villagers throughout the streets. He’d lost everything. He wasn’t about to lose his father too. Considering what he’d brought upon him, he owed him that much.

Wiping his eyes, Jolis found his courage.

“V4, we’re going back for Da.”

“Master, I must advise against this.”

“We can’t leave him. He could be injured. Keep your scanners open and stay close.”

* * *

Torek was breathing heavy now as the savage attacks from the creature began to wear upon him. The battle had gone on for some time now as Torek could feel exhaustion setting in.

He went on the attack again with a low swing up towards the creature’s chest. It was parried away but the creature didn’t follow through with a counter attack.

Torek swung back around at the creature’s backside but the double-bladed sword seemed to be everywhere at once. Torek’s blade was swatted away but, instead of retreating, Torek made a low swing across the creatures exposed lower legs.

The green-skinned creature stepped back but not in time and not far enough. The slice from Torek’s sword tore open a large gash on the creatures leg as green blood began to pour out.

The creature hissed loudly, stumbling back slightly as its bare feet composed of three claws braced to maintain balance.

Torek, energized by the sight of blood, went on the attack. He swung for the creature’s head but it ducked out of the way. He lunged forward with a quick thrust to the abdomen but the creature simply stepped aside and batted the sword away with its own.

The creature, seemingly tired of the display, let out a loud roar. It then went into a full blood-raged attack.

It began swinging with both sides of its weapon which kept Torek on the defensive. Overhead then under, left side then right, Torek had gone from attack to defense to full blown retreat.

Backpedaling now, the creature sliced with a fury it had previously not shown. It suddenly locked swords with Torek as the man stared into the eyes of the creature. A swift kick from the clawed foot of the creature sent Torek flying back and landing hard onto the ground.

Seeing blood coming from his chest from the site of the kick, Torek got up as quick as he could but the creature was on him again. With a heavy swing, it slapped the sword out of Torek’s hands. Despite now being weaponless, Torek give the creature a hard kick of his own on the spot he’d previously opened up. Only now, however, he saw that the wound had somehow already closed up and was no longer bleeding.

The creature hissed as it threw down its double-bladed sword, reached down and grabbed Torek by his neck. Lifting him off the ground, Torek’s screamed in pain as the vice grip of the creatures claws tore into his skin.

Kicking wildly, he knew it was now a useless effort. He looked the creature in its eyes, but something from behind it drew his attention.

* * *

Jolis raced through the jungle but as he neared the village, he slowed. Moving more cautiously, he noticed that two of the four drop ships were taking off and heading back towards the main ship which was still hovering overhead.

Continuing to move forward, Jolis noticed a large group of the invaders congregating around a single point. The clanging of swords caused Jolis to stop in place. Through a clearance in the trees, Jolis was able to see the tall figure he’d witnessed exiting the larger drop ship by the village gates. It was engaged in combat with a human and Jolis instantly recognized who it was.

“V4, Da’s fighting the green creature,” said Jolis in a hushed voice. “What do we do?”

“I’m afraid there’s nothing we can do, Master,” replied V4. “Any action on our part will result in the nearly three dozen enemy invaders to be alerted to our presence.”

Just then, a scream filled the air.

Jolis turned to see his father being grabbed by the throat and lifted up off the ground. He was facing him and was close enough that he could just see the painful expression on his face.

Suddenly, his father noticed him as they locked eyes for only a brief moment. It was enough, however, for Torek to shout out towards his son.

“Jolis! Run! Flee while you…”

The creature who had his father by the throat suddenly clamped down. Its sharp claws pierced deep into his father’s neck as his limbs became lifeless.

“Da! Noooo!!!”

“Master!” shouted V4.

The creature threw Torek’s body aside and pointed towards Jolis.

“S’ont yot nask!!”

The three dozen enemy troopers all turned and raced towards Jolis.

Turning back towards the woods, Jolis ran as fast as he could.

Taking to the thicker section of the forest, Jolis did his best to lose his pursuers. As fast as his legs could carry him, Jolis raced deeper into the Atophis forest.

A thought suddenly entered Jolis’ mind as he ran.

“V4, don’t let them catch you. Split up and tuck tail!”

The droid, still racing alongside Jolis, didn’t immediately reply but did so a moment later.

“I…acknowledged. Good luck, Master Jolis.”

Turning in a different direction, V4’s treaded wheels went full power as it quickly raced away until Jolis could no longer see him.

Although Jolis was very familiar with the forest around his village, this section of the woods was somewhat unfamiliar to him. Just hoping to escape, Jolis suddenly came upon a vast opening followed by a cliff with a sheer drop.

He’d come upon the Low World.

The enemy troops, having caught the young boy, surrounded him. Jolis knew he now had nowhere to go.

Just then, the tall lizard creature emerged from the woods. It stared directly into the eyes of Jolis as it walked towards him.

Jolis, breathing heavily and with his back to the cliff, found that he had backed up as far as he could go.

The creature stopped several meters from Jolis. For a moment, the two simply stared at each other before the creature extended its right hand towards Jolis. It waved Jolis in towards him signifying for him to come away from the edge of the cliff.

Jolis’ eyes were wide open as he stood in complete fear for his life.

For a moment, Jolis’ life in the village flashed through his mind. He was born and raised here and had fully expected to die here just as his ancestors had done. Instead, he had brought about the doom of possibly every tribe on Atophis.

The words of Jolis’ father surfaced.

_I love you, son. This is not the end._

Those were the last words which passed through Jolis’ mind as he fell backwards down towards the dark abyss of the Low World below.


	7. Into the Darkness

Tree branches snapped and sharp thorns pierced Jolis’ body as he fell further down into the deep wilderness. Each impact brought about a sharp pain as his body slammed into various sized tree limbs which also tore at his clothes and skin.

After several moments, Jolis landed on his back with a heavy thud. Not expecting to survive the journey down, Jolis was initially distraught to still be alive.

The impact of the fall caused Jolis to feel as if his world was spinning.

It was dark on the base of the Low World. Dark and quiet. The light of day was blocked by heavy tree cover which also prevented much in the way of undergrowth on the surface. Despite the heavy concentration of trees, there were no birds to be heard. There were also no flowers of any sort to offer any striking colors. Everything down there was dark and muted. Even the air had a sinister and unsettling chill to it.

Jolis slowly wiggled his hands and toes before he sat up, closing his eyes as he moaned with pain. When his eyes opened, he was met with an utterly horrifying sight. In the trees all around him were pairs of red eyes staring down at him from the shadows. None of the eyes moved or blinked. They simply stared.

They were all around him. The more he looked, the more eyes seemed to appear from the darkness of the trees.

Suddenly, Jolis heard the rustling of tree limbs coming from above followed by numerous voices. He knew instantly that his enemy pursuers were coming for him.

Slowly standing up, Jolis nearly collapsed to the ground as a sharp pain surged through his body from his leg. A voice within him told him that the pain would be secondary compared to the life he would have if he were captured.

Looking up, Jolis noticed that the sound coming from above had caused all of the red eyes to disappear at once. A shiver traveled down his spine as he began to move deeper into the darkness.

He was moving slowly and the number of voices he was beginning to hear was steadily increasing. Jolis’ heart was nearly beating out of his chest as pairs of red eyes began to appear in front of him as he moved through the jungle, only to vanish as he got closer to them.

The nearly ear-piercing scream of a weraryk filled the jungle floor. Jolis had heard the sound before, but never from this close.

He froze in place at an opening in the forest, fully expecting to be torn to pieces by the mysterious creature any second.

The jungle began to rustle all around him. He could hear something moving quickly through the trees. Jolis, knowing he had no defense for whatever was approaching, closed his eyes and waited for the inevitable.

Then, silence.

Seconds passed before Jolis slowly opened his eyes, still horrified at what could be waiting for him around the next tree.

The ground suddenly shook under him with a small thud which echoed through the trees. Then another thud, followed by numerous others.

Jolis was nearly paralyzed with fear as he could feel the ground shifting slightly underneath him.

The sounds of the enemy pursuers was getting closer but Jolis stayed where he was. He could hear them approaching and it would only be a matter of seconds before they were upon him.

The first of the enemy soldiers burst through the ~~underbrush~~ and the unknown creature aimed its weapon at Jolis. Then nearly a dozen more emerged. They stopped short of Jolis and began screaming at him in an unknown language.

Jolis, frozen in place, refused to move. Even as he saw over a dozen weapons aimed at him, Jolis couldn’t help but pay close attention to the ground moving under his feet.

Something was coming.

One of the enemy pursuers suddenly screamed as a long black arm with razor sharp claws exploded from the ground beneath him and grabbed ahold of him. The others could only watch in horror as their fellow soldier had his leg ripped off and pulled underground. When the soldier collapsed to the ground, several more claws emerged from the ground and tore into what was left of his body.

The other soldiers broke rank as panic befell them. Their screams, however, were violently overpowered by what sounded like dozens of weraryk’s descending upon them. They fell from the trees and emerged from underground, their sleek hairless black bodies looked almost human in stature. Their abnormally long arms, glowing red eyes, razor sharp claws and high-pitched scream, however, proved that they were anything but.

They moved like lighting through the ranks of the enemy.

Jolis could feel himself getting sick as he watched the carnage unfold in front of him. Rather than stick around and become the next victim, however, he turned in a new direction and hobbled as fast as he could away from the scene.

_I’m dead. There’s no way I’m getting out of here._

Jolis’ thoughts were suddenly silenced as he came upon what was the edge of the Low World. A wall of sheer rock reached high past the tree tops to the world above. At its base, however, he noticed a small cave opening. With no other options and the promising thought of finding a shelter, Jolis headed in.

Upon entering, Jolis could immediately feel a change in the air. The very stone walls of the cave hummed and there was something different about this place. Still, it presented a respite from his current situation so Jolis proceeded deeper, even as the sounds of the onslaught still erupted behind him.

As he slowly stepped further into the cave, three of his pursuers emerged from the trees and were running directly towards him.

Noticing Jolis, the enemy troops dispensed with their previous attempts to capture him. Aiming their weapons at him, they repeatedly fired energy bolts at Jolis who ducked behind a rock in the mouth of the cave.

Knowing he wasn’t out of the woods yet, Jolis proceeded deeper into the cave despite not knowing where it could lead. He could hear the sounds of the three invaders behind him as they pursued.

Running as fast as he could through the cave, the light from the cave entrance dimmed as did the sounds of the carnage unfolding outside. Jolis’ pace slowed as he noticed numerous bio-luminescent plants the further he traversed inward. They gave off various colors of light making his journey further in a bit easier to navigate but not enough to make the unknown cave system any less treacherous.

He came upon a large cavern which appeared to have several paths going off in various directions. He stopped for a moment before choosing a path and proceeding.

Suddenly tripping over a small rock, Jolis fell forward and landed hard on the ground. A sharp pain shot through his wrist after his attempt to brace himself for the fall on the uneven stone. He clutched his wounded wrist in his right hand as he rolled onto his back.

Despite the searing pain, Jolis didn’t scream. He wasn’t about to give away his position.

Through the glow of the bio-luminescent plants, Jolis could make out the three figures of his pursuers as they slowly entered the large cavern.

As quietly as possible, Jolis slowly tucked himself behind a large rock which was off to one of the sides of the cavern. He watched as the three soldiers looked all around them. Despite Jolis being able to mostly see them clearly in the dim light, it became obvious that his pursuers couldn’t see him.

_Perhaps whatever this species is can’t see well in low light._

Jolis shook his head free of the thought and continued to watch as the three invaders slowly walked past him, unaware of his presence. They came to a stop at the back of the cavern where three separate paths formed and headed off in different directions.

Without speaking, the creature in the middle indicated with his hands to the soldier on his left to take the first path and the soldier on his right to take the third. They each stepped off in unison as the middle soldier proceeded forward towards the second path in front of him.

The very moment they each stepped into their assigned paths, the entire cavern came alive as it began to hum with what sounded like a mix of electrical current and heavy wind.

Jolis’ eyes were wide open in terror. He looked around to see where the activity was coming from but his eyes were ultimately drawn back to the three soldiers as they screamed in horror.

All three now appeared to have been mysteriously lifted off the ground and were floating in midair, seemingly having no control over their limbs.

The soldier on the left began to scream wildly in pain. Over the sound of the humming, Jolis could hear the unmistakable sound of bones snapping. The soldier looked as if he were being crushed alive while floating. He was permanently silenced as his body was violently compressed down to the size of a large stone as his remains hit the ground.

The middle soldier was trying his hardest to hold onto his weapon but it was a futile effort. Jolis watched as the soldier’s weapon floated out of his hand and out in front of him. The soldier began to scream wildly as he noticed his weapon was now slowly turning around until it was pointed directly at him. The weapon fired, ending the life of the soldier as he and the weapon then crashed to the ground.

The third soldier was now whimpering with fear. Unable to see what was happening in the dark, he could only hear the sounds of his fellow soldiers as their lives were ended one by one. It was short lived, however, as his body was suddenly slammed against the wall of the cave with enough force that it caused the entire cavern to shake.

Then, the humming stopped. Jolis, now in the quiet of the cave, could hear his heart beating as he looked around. Alone and with no explanation as to what had just happened, he found himself more afraid now than he was outside of the cave.

A slight gust of warm wind pulled Jolis out of his trance. It was coming from another path directly behind him. After what he had just witnessed however, he thought better of going down one of the paths lest he become the fourth casualty.

He slowly stood up, still looking around wildly as he tried to assess the situation and figure out what he should do next. He knew he wouldn’t be able to hide in here for long, nor did he want to. He needed to come up with a plan and fast.

His mind betrayed him as the thought of the cataclysm which had just unfolded in his village landed on his shoulders. It was _his_ fault and he knew it. If he were to somehow find any survivors, he would confess to them and then hope that he could somehow find a way to…

His line of thought was cut short as Jolis began to feel the weight of his body leave the ground. He was now mysteriously floating, just as the three soldiers had done.

_This is it_.

He waited for the inevitable end. However, there was no fear in his heart. In fact, he felt relief that this would all be over soon. If there was any afterlife, maybe he’d see his parents again so he could tell them how sorry he was.

Jolis felt surrounded by energy. His body felt as if he was being given rest as a warmth he’d never experienced enveloped him. He noticed that the pain in his wrist was now gone as was the pain in his leg. He not only felt completely healed, but also rejuvenated.

“How is this possible?” he said out loud. “What’s going on!?

His body began to levitate down the path behind him. The ground passed beneath him as he floated through the narrow stone path without so much as touching a wall. Despite feeling his pains erased, he was unable to move from the neck down. Jolis simply observed as he suddenly came upon a vast opening on the ground below him. It was a sheer drop with no light at the bottom, and he was heading directly towards it.

Jolis began to panic but it was useless. He continued to mysteriously levitate until he came to a stop directly over the opening. The invisible grip on his body was released, and he fell once again.

The light from the bio-luminescent plants vanished as he passed into complete darkness. He could feel wind going over his body as he felt the sensation of free falling.

Seemingly as quick as it began, Jolis felt the speed of his descent slow. Still floating, his body had the sensation that it had come to a stop midair in the darkness of the cave.

He turned his head in all directions to get a sense as to where he was, if there was a way out or if there was any light to be seen. There was none. He was surrounded by darkness and silence.

Moments later, several sharp gusts of wind could be heard around him. Sounding as if these gusts were circling around him, Jolis couldn’t help but look around to see if he could spot anything. Then, the sound of numerous voices filled the air, all seemingly speaking at once. The voices had strange dialects but he was able to understand the language. Jolis was mostly unable to make out what they were saying but he did pick up brief phrases.

“…too old…”

“…feel his fear.”

One phrase stood out as it was spoken by a older female voice.

“His cup is already full.”

Curious, Jolis spoke up.

“Hello?” he called out.

At once, the voices stopped in unison. Seconds passed before a lone deep voice spoke slowly as it filled the empty depths of the cave.

“Welcome, young Jolis.”


	8. The Great Awakening

His body hung in midair, held up by some invisible form of energy. Jolis could feel his heart beating rapidly as he heaved air in and out of his lungs. In the pitch black cave, the sound of his breathing echoed around him as the voices of many which had once circled around him had seemingly condensed into one as it spoke.

“How do you know my name?” asked Jolis. He could hear his own voice trembling as the words left his mouth.

The voice spoke again. This time, Jolis could feel the surface of his skin vibrating as it did.

“Be not afraid, young one. I mean you no harm. You’re safe now, your pursuers are destroyed and your wounds have been healed.”

“How?” asked Jolis. “How are you doing this? Who are you!?”

“Who am I?” said the voice. “Throughout the eons of time, we have gone by many names. _The Ashla_ some have called us. Others have referred to me as _Life Wind.”_

A spark of light appeared before Jolis. The blue luminance started small but began to grow in intensity. Jolis initially squinted his eyes at the sudden display of light. He soon had to close them tightly and cover them with his hands as the brightness continued to grow in the otherwise dark cave.

A sudden bright flash appeared and thundered loudly throughout the cave as it did. As the flash dissipated, Jolis slowly opened his eyes and peered through his hands to see what appeared to be the silhouette of man.

It stood before Jolis in the darkness surrounded by dual circular rings of light around its feet, one ring within the other. The figure was tall and appeared to be wearing some form of armor with a cloak over top which partially shrouded its features. Although the figure was translucent, there was an air of confidence about it. The figure’s stature portrayed that of both ruler and servant.

Its eyes radiated power from its pure white pupils as it stood before Jolis.

“My name matters not, young Jolis. But in this case, you may refer to this form simply as _Master_.”

Jolis shuttered.

“Master, w-why am I here?”

“Because it is our will.”

“For what purpose? Are you responsible for the attack?”

The being stared intensely into Jolis’ eyes for a brief moment.

“No. We are not responsible, but the actions below have tipped the scale of life out of balance.”

“Below?”

The being chuckled.

“Look down, Jolis.”

Jolis tilted his head down. Suddenly, the cavern he thought he was in became illuminated with the light of billions of stars. Below them, a large planetary body seemed to float in empty space. Mostly green in color, Jolis noticed its nearby moon—a smaller ocean world with tiny pockets of land—casting a shadow over a section of the planet from the light of the nearby sun.

The sight was breathtaking. Jolis’ eyes—unable to stay in one spot for more than a second—jumped from one celestial body to the next in an attempt to soak it all in.

“Atophis, as you call it,” said the being as it stared at the planet beneath them.

Jolis looked back at the being, now filled with awe and amazement.

“What are you?”

The figure turned its attention back to Jolis.

“I am the Force, young Jolis, and we are One.”

Turning back towards the planet below, the being spoke. It’s voice seemed to echo towards the stars around them.

“In darkness, cold. In light, cold. The old sun brings no heat. But there is heat in breath and life. In life, there is the Force. In the Force, there is life. And the Force is eternal.”

The being turned back towards Jolis.

Jolis could feel his head spinning with wonder and bewilderment.

“You have many questions, young Jolis, and understandably so. Ask.”

Jolis suppressed his initial question and went to another.

“I don’t understand. Where do you come from? Are you the _ancient one_ that Ulepi talks about?”

“We are life, Jolis. Created both by it and for it. We are a force connected to all living things, and we are eternal.”

“Am…am I dead?”

“No, Jolis. I can assure you that you are very much alive.

“Our time has come. For the first time since the forming of the foundations of the galaxy, there is imbalance. You have seen it yourself. The attack you experienced today was not an isolated incident. It is happening across many nearby planets and has continued for some time now.”

“But these creatures—the ones who attacked us—why can’t you just destroy them like you killed those who were chasing me?”

“Doing so would bring about an outcome I do not seek. We desire not to be worshiped by life but to be at one with it. This is the path to balance.”

Jolis shook his head slightly.

“But why am I here?”

Jolis noticed then that the planet beneath him vanished along with the light of the stars. They were once again in darkness, the figure before him still illuminating with light.

“If by _here_ you mean standing before us, it’s because you have been chosen but in return, you too must make a choice. But if by _here_ you mean on the planet Atophis, well that is something a bit more _sinister_.”

Eager to hear more, Jolis remained silent.

“I think it best that we show you.”

The mysterious being extended its hand towards Jolis.

“Take my hand, young Jolis.”

Initially hesitant, Jolis shook his fear away and reached out towards the being. He never felt the touch of the Master, but with a quick flash was instantly transported to a place very similar to where he was but much more mysterious.

Stars once again lined the space around him, above and below. He looked down at his feet and noticed that he was on a walkway. Transparent, it was lined on both sides by parallel lines of light which—when looking at the path from a distance—seemed to arch and curve in various directions.

Jolis looked around and noticed various other pathways which all seemed to branch off from on another. Some of these paths led to mysterious doorways of various shapes and forms. Each one seemed to be adorned with intricate lights and patterns.

“Fascinating, isn’t it.”

The voice of the being emanated throughout the space, although Jolis was unable to see where it came from.

“Where am I?”

“We are in a place within the Force that is outside of space and time but also within it. Through this world between worlds, all of reality is connected. The past, present and even the future. From this netherworld we are unbound by the limits of time and aim to maintain balance in this galaxy and beyond.”

“Wait. You can see the future?”

“One can think back to the seas of old and remember the waves, Jolis. Likewise, we can step out into the banks of a river and witness the rampant waters as they move before us. In the same way, the future is always in motion. Ever changing and never certain. Although we cannot stop the waters of time, we can, however, shape the river, if you will.”

“But you said you’ve never communed with a living being before. How do you shape the future if you can’t control it?”

“We are life, Jolis. Although we have never communed with intelligent life, there are several creatures which have a connection to our life force and thus, are sensitive to our will.”

As Jolis listened, he heard a deep bellowing growl coming from behind him. Turning, a large creature appeared before him. It sat with its gaze lowered and with keen eyes fixed on him. Its slender physique was highlighted by its brown fur and dark lines across its long snout and forelegs.

Jolis should’ve been terrified but he felt oddly at peace with the beast.

“You know of these creatures, yes?”

“Only in stories,” said Jolis as he examined the creature with his eyes. “Ulepi used to tell tales of them to the village children when we were younger. He called them Ato-wolves. He used to say they were here before us and were somehow connected to the planet. No one’s ever seen one before.”

“The one you mention speaks the truth. Although focused, their connection to our life force is primal in nature. Instinctive.”

The wolf stood to its full height, its shoulder taller than the top of Jolis’ head.

It moved past Jolis without acknowledging him and proceeded down the path before it.

“Come,” said the voice, this time appearing to come from the direction the Ato-wolf was heading.

He followed the creature as it branched off in what seemed like random directions.

While moving, Jolis had the impression that he was walking in place as the path beneath him moved as he did.

After some time, the Ato-wolf stopped in front of an archway and sat next to it. Circular, the various rings around the doorway contained figures which Jolis assumed was a language of some sort.

“Look into the doorway, Jolis, but do not enter it.”

The doorway which, at first glance, appeared to be transparent as to see the stars behind it, began to glow blue and pulse with energy.

Jolis took a step back on impulse.

The doorway then formed an image of a planet similar to that of Atophis but with its own unique features.

There was more water on this planet and, instead of lush green jungles, Jolis noticed various colors which made up the vegetation across its surface. Numerous mountain ranges lined the planet’s surface and snow covered poles capped off its northern and southern-most ends.

“What do you see?” asked the voice.

“It’s…beautiful.”

“Yes. It was.” said the voice, a sadness now evident in its tone.

“This is the planet Tyreth. Or rather as it used to be.”

The view from the doorway orbited around the planet, further revealing its majesty and beauty.

“I recall the life on this planet. Each creation having its own voice and unique energy of its own.”

The image suddenly began to vibrate as the doorway turned into a solid red wall.

“Then the Destroyers came.”

The doorway came back to life to reveal a ravaged and barren planet. The majority of the surface had been scorched out of existence as numerous craters gave evidence of an extinction level event. The blue waters of the oceans had been nearly evaporated, the polar ice caps melted and the once lush green jungle had been burnt down.

Jolis had to cover his ears as screams reverberated all around him.

“They came and ravaged one village at a time. Murdering those who resisted, enslaving those who were too young to fight. They slowly began to strip the planet of its natural resources but there were some who resisted.

“Rather than waste time fighting battles, however, the Destroyers simply redirected a nearby asteroid towards the planet’s surface. This is the end result—the empty husk of what was once a beacon of beauty in peace in the galaxy. This was the first world ravaged by the Destroyers. Such will be the result for Atophis and countless other worlds if action is not taken.”

Jolis could feel his knees buckle as memories of the attack replayed in his mind.

“With time, Tyreth will once again be habitable but it will never be the same. Nor will it go by the name of Tyreth ever again. Its past will be lost. Its memory, forgotten.”

“Who are these Destroyers?” asked Jolis. “Where do they come from?”

The Ato-wolf seated next to the doorway began to growl.

“I will tell you, but you will not like the answer. Are you sure you wish to hear it?”

“Yes,” said Jolis. “Tell me everything.”

A noticeable pause occurred.

Suddenly, the image in the doorway faded and became transparent once again.

“Come with me, Jolis.”

The Ato-wolf rose once more and began to walk along the path again. Jolis followed a few paces behind it, now noticing the ground rippling under his feet with each step he took along the path.

“Listen carefully, Jolis,” said the voice as Jolis continued to follow the Ato-wolf. “Knowledge is the key to understanding but with it often comes great despair. Do you understand.”

“I’m not sure,” replied Jolis.

“You will learn, young Jolis.

“Many hundreds of your years ago, Atophis was void of your species. It was a peaceful but otherwise unremarkable world.”

“It’s hard to think of a time when my people _weren’t_ on Atophis.”

“That’s because your people are _not_ from Atophis. Recall what I said about Tyreth. The Destroyers took the young children as slaves, just as they did to your village and will continue to do across your planet. The people of Atophis are those slaves.”

Jolis stopped in his tracks.

“What?! How’s the possible?”

“The Destroyers use their slaves in several ways. Some are used for labor, others are used for seeding. They’re placed on resource-rich planets, allowed to populate for hundreds of years and then, when the time is right, they’re harvested. The adults are killed, the youth are enslaved and the planet is stripped of its resources. This ensures that the Destroyers always have a fresh supply of slaves. Your species along with hundreds of others have been planted across dozens of planets.

“You and your people are the direct descendants of Tyreth.”

Jolis lifted his head and stared at the stars above him. His head spinning at this revelation.

“Follow, young Jolis.”

The Ato-wolf had not stopped when Jolis had. Seeing that it was now a ways ahead, Jolis ran to catch up, nearly stumbling off the path as he did so.

Once again, the Ato-wolf stopped at a doorway. This one was shaped like a triangle with a circular frame around it.

The voice continued.

“The ones who are not used for seeding are processed and indoctrinated.”

The doorway began to ripple like that of still waters disturbed by a stone. An image appeared of young children in small prison cells. Some resembled Jolis’ species, others he didn’t recognize. They all, however, had a strange device on the back of their necks which he recognized.

“That device,” said Jolis. “I’ve seen it before, during the attack. The raiders wore them.”

“They are slaves, Jolis. Taken from numerous worlds and indoctrinated for whatever purpose the Destroyers see fit.”

“What do you mean _indoctrinated_?” asked Jolis.

“It was a device designed and built on the Destroyer home world. The center of their evil.”

The image in the doorway began to blur. He saw what appeared to be ships, more creatures he didn’t recognize and then, another planet.

“This is their homeworld.”

As the planet came into focus, Jolis’ jaw dropped.

“What do you see?”

Having never seen anything like it, Jolis wasn’t sure he even had the words to answer.

“The buildings, they’re huge,” he replied. “I didn’t know structures could reach so high. And it looks so pristine. Does it cover the entire planet?”

“Yes,” said the voice. “The sprawling city has no end and reaches from one side of the planet to the other.”

“ _This_ is the homeworld of the Destroyers?”

“Such is the nature of evil. It will give you the impression of a friend but deep down, its true intentions lie in wait.”

The image in the doorway suddenly came down to the planet where Jolis saw hundreds, perhaps thousands of people seemingly going about their business. Their attire was much more sophisticated than that of Jolis and the various tribes of Atophis. The dozens of species seemed to coexist without issue as they went too and from their destinations.

“Everything seems so…normal,” said Jolis.

“So it would seem to the untrained eye. Look closer, young one.”

As Jolis peered closer to the doorway, he saw it. Then another. In fact, they were everywhere.

“All of them,” said Jolis. “They’re all wearing those devices. They’re all slaves?”

“Yes. They come from worlds unknown to your kind but whose fate was that of Tyreth. These slaves, their identities have been stripped, their memories erased. Now, they exist solely as tools to be used until they’re disposed of. They are the loyal subjects to the lords of this place.”

Jolis furrowed his brow as he looked at the people.

“Will my people be taken here?”

“Yes.”

“Who are these lords you speak of?”

“More on this, we will not say.”

Jolis watched for several moments as the various species went about their lives, void of any sense of identity and personality. From the depths of his being, he felt a great pity for them.

“Can they be saved?” he asked.

“Yes, but at great cost.”

Jolis felt a great sudden sense of anger wash over him. His entire life had been torn apart in the span of a single day. On the other hand, he was alive and of sound mind which is more than what these beings could say.

A sudden realization fell upon Jolis.

“The attack on my village. I wasn’t responsible for it, was I?”

“You were not,” said the voice. “The attack would’ve occurred whether you had used your device or not.”

The image in the doorway faded and, like the previous door, became transparent. Jolis turned to see that the Ato-wolf was now gone as well.

Slowly, the walkway beneath him began to fade as did the various doorways. The numerous stars and constellations surrounding him, however, remained.

As the voice began to speak again, the being reappeared before Jolis.

For a moment, they simply stared at each other. However, Jolis could no longer be silent. Something had to be done.

“I lost my family today. What must I do to save those people?”

The being standing before Jolis turned around and lifted its gaze towards the stars. Jolis had the impression that it was looking at something. What exactly, he could not say.

“If you are willing, young Jolis,” said the voice, “we will teach you the ways of the Force—the first mortal to wield my power in an effort to bring balance to life.”

“What does that entail?”

“Life, death and rebirth. To be born again in the Force, you must first cast aside who you are. Only one with an empty cup can learn what we will teach you. Although you are young, your cup is full, young Jolis. You must learn to let go, to empty your cup. You must unlearn what you have learned. For what I will teach you will require all of you. You will be tested. Should you pass the trials, your life will never be the same. You will be made anew, young Jolis—born again by and through the will of the Force.”

“And if I fail?” asked Jolis.

“Then you will die and we will find another.”

Jolis thought for a moment.

“Will I be like you?”

“Your physical form will not allow it, Jolis. That is your greatest limitation. What we will teach you, however, will surpass all that has been known to any being in the history of the galaxy. You will learn the full natural power of the Force. We will guide you and be your ally. You will be the first. But, you must be willing.”

Jolis’ mind drifted back towards his family and his village. For as far back as he could remember, he’d wanted to make a difference. Whether it be assisting his village during the cold season by building improved power supply’s or by attempting to communicate with other life somewhere in the far reaches of space, Jolis knew deep inside that he was called to be something different. He knew, his entire village knew it. Always the outcast, now the chosen.

“Master,” said Jolis.

The being turned and faced Jolis.

“I am ready, Master.”

The being’s voice was noticeably different. Darker in tone, its eyes bore into Jolis.

“Ready, are you?”

Suddenly, a fierce wind began to blow. Powerful in strength, the gusts nearly knocked Jolis off his feet. Noticing that the wind appeared to be blowing the field of stars which surround him away towards a single point of light in the sky, Jolis briefly stumbled as he fell backwards. When he'd regained his balance, however, he noticed that there were a great number of luminous beings surrounding him.

The wind suddenly stopped and a deafening silence filled the air. Looking around, Jolis noticed that many of the beings seemed to be shifting from one form to another. A sudden fear seized him as they all began to close in around him. 

The voice of the Master spoke again as all the beings began to fade leaving Jolis in the pitch black dark again. 

"We will see."

**End of Part I**


End file.
